The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, alias “Kanmo-Kanmo,” who had been on the agency’s wanted list for over a decade in connection with the killing of three NDLEA officers.

Jimoh was apprehended during an intelligence-led operation in Owode, Ogun State, bringing to an end a 12-year manhunt that began after a deadly confrontation with NDLEA operatives in June 2014.

According to the agency, the suspect allegedly mobilised armed associates to attack NDLEA officers who attempted to arrest him at his residence, resulting in the death of three operatives. He subsequently went into hiding and remained a fugitive despite several operations targeted at dismantling his drug network.

NDLEA said a search conducted at the point of arrest led to the recovery of 69 kilograms of skunk, a high-potency strain of cannabis, believed to be part of an ongoing trafficking operation.

The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, described the arrest as a major breakthrough, noting that the suspect’s capture demonstrates the NDLEA’s resolve to ensure that no individual involved in violent drug crimes escapes justice, regardless of the time elapsed.

Babafemi recalled that in 2023, NDLEA operatives raided a property linked to Jimoh in Ado-Odo area of Ogun State, where 1,922 kilograms of skunk were seized. Although the suspect evaded arrest at the time, the property was later forfeited to the Federal Government following court proceedings.

The NDLEA said the arrest forms part of intensified nationwide operations aimed at dismantling drug trafficking syndicates, curbing violent crimes associated with illicit drugs and safeguarding the lives of law-enforcement officers.

The suspect is expected to be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.