NDLEA seizes 14,440kg drugs, arrests wanted baron in Lagos hotel raid

By Grace Edet

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 42-year-old wanted drug baron, Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, and seized over 14,440 kilograms of illicit drugs in coordinated operations spanning seven states.
The arrest followed weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance, culminating in a Saturday morning raid on his Lagos hotel.
Ibemesi, popularly known as “Chisco Bee”, was picked up by operatives of the NDLEA Special Operations Unit at Daisy Garden Hotel, 66–68 Agbeke Street, Ago Palace Way, Isolo. He is listed as the MD/CEO of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig. Ltd, a business used as cover for large-scale drug trafficking.
Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Sunday, saying operatives recovered a major drug stockpile shortly afterward.
“He was taken to his warehouse at 7 Pius Ezeobi Street, Isolo, where 42 jumbo bags and four cartons of Loud weighing 1,762.8 kilograms were recovered,” Babafemi said.
He added that foreign currency found on the suspect included $11,600, 2,000 Pounds, 2,200 Euros, and 50 Canadian dollars, all seized as exhibits.

11,135kg skunk intercepted in Osun forest
In Osun State, NDLEA operatives thwarted a drug syndicate loading processed skunk weighing 11,135kg at the Orita-Apeje, Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve in Ife South LGA. After days of surveillance, two trucks — a Volvo (WWR 29 XA) and a Mercedes (AWK 713 YZ) — were intercepted and seven suspects arrested.
Those arrested include Lucky Abiodun, Julius Amos, Victor Ngbikili, Sunday Oduegwu, Ibrahim Akanni, Eze Godstime, and Fred Ifeanyichukwu.
Edo raids yield 1,902kg, multiple arrests
In Edo State, 1,902.1kg of skunk was recovered from multiple locations, including:
184.1kg along Oza/Igbanke road, Orhionmwon LGA; 672kg from Utese forest, Ovia North-East LGA; 494kg from a Mercedes-Benz (DE311BEN) where Felix Edah (45) was arrested; and 552kg from another Mercedes-Benz (JJJ 56 JW) driven by Lucky Abagha (51).

More seizures across Taraba, Ogun, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Kwara
In Ogun State, four suspects — Michael Okoh, Offor Agada, Raphael Nkemjika and Nwabueze Franklin, were arrested along the Ijebu-Ode expressway after operatives found 68kg of skunk and 3.15kg of methamphetamine in their possession.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives seized 172kg of skunk from 50-year-old Danjuma Tukura in Ardo Kola Local Government Area, while an additional 84kg was recovered from 24-year-old Wisdom Titus in Takum.
At the Aliyu Mustapha International Airport in Yola, Adamawa State, officers intercepted 396,000 capsules of Tramadol from a suspect identified as Ahmed Isyaku Nda, aged 50.
In Nasarawa State, a warehouse belonging to a drug dealer currently at large was raided in Asob Maraba Karu, leading to the evacuation of 785kg of skunk.
Lagos operations also yielded major seizures. In Surulere, 65.15kg of Canadian Loud was recovered from two suspects, Jamiu Kunle Kardoso and Oriyomi Waliu. At Oyingbo, operatives intercepted 141kg of Ghana Loud from a suspect, Taofeek Moraina.
In Kwara State, 78.565kg of skunk and 155 cartons of rubber solution were seized from a truck marked T-T-T-T-T-0262KT along the Ilorin–Jebba expressway, with the driver, Umar Yakubu, taken into custody. In a separate operation, officers intercepted a commercial bus with skunk concealed inside a 50-litre jerry can, leading to the arrest of its driver, Ibrahim Bello.

NDLEA intensifies WADA Campaign in schools, communities
The NDLEA also expanded its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign across multiple schools and communities in Zamfara, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Enugu, Lagos, and Ogun states during the week.

Marwa commends operatives, orders sustained pressure
Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the operatives for their nationwide interceptions.
“I commend the officers and men of the SOU, Osun, Lagos, Edo, Ogun, Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, and Kwara Commands for the arrests and seizures.
“I urge them to continue with the Agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts,” Marwa said.
The NDLEA says investigations into Ibemesi’s network and other cartel links are ongoing.