Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have finally captured a long-elusive drug baron, bringing to a close a 12-year manhunt triggered by the brutal killing of three agency officers.
The End of a 12-Year Manhunt
In a major breakthrough, Lekan Jimoh, infamously known as "Kanmo-Kanmo", was apprehended on Friday, January 16, 2026. According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, tactical teams tracked the kingpin to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State, acting on credible intelligence.
Jimoh, notorious for drug trafficking, evading arrest, and mobilizing armed thugs against security agents, was found with 69 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis. A dramatic video from the operation showed the suspect climbing onto his rooftop in a desperate attempt to take his own life before being subdued.
A History of Violence and Lawlessness
The arrest marks a pivotal moment in a case defined by extreme violence. Kanmo-Kanmo's criminal history reached a horrific peak on June 15, 2014. On that day, he orchestrated a barbaric mob attack against NDLEA officers attempting to arrest him at his enclave.
The assault resulted in the cold-blooded murder of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure and two others, who were killed by armed thugs mobilized by Jimoh. While the suspect fled that day, the NDLEA vowed to pursue justice for its fallen heroes relentlessly.
Jimoh managed another escape on August 12, 2023, when operatives raided his residence in Ado-Odo town, Ogun State. During that operation, agents recovered a massive 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilograms. Following asset forfeiture proceedings, the house, which served as a drug warehouse, has been finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
Other Major Drug Busts Across the Nation
In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Edo State conducted a raid on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. The operation targeted the Arokpa forest in Uzebba town, Owan West LGA, leading to the arrest of another drug lord, 53-year-old Usihor Edika. The raid yielded a seizure of 320kg of skunk and seeds.
Separately, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, operatives on Friday, January 16, arrested a 44-year-old female online vendor, Yinka Agboola. Intelligence revealed she was selling illicit substances through online advertisements. Upon arrest at her home in Kaura district, Abuja, operatives recovered 2.2kg of skunk and litres of cannabis oil which she produced in her kitchen for sale.
The series of operations underscore the NDLEA's intensified crackdown on drug trafficking networks, from high-profile kingpins to modern digital peddlers, across Nigeria.
