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NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Kingpin 12 Years After Deadly Attack on Officers
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as Kanmo-Kanmo, a notorious drug kingpin who had been on the run for 12 years following the killing of three NDLEA officers during a failed arrest operation.
Jimoh was apprehended on Friday, January 16, 2026, in Owode, Ogun State, after intelligence-driven operations by NDLEA tactical teams. A search of his hideout led to the recovery of 69 kilogrammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said the suspect had been on the agency’s wanted list since June 15, 2014, when he allegedly mobilised armed thugs to attack NDLEA operatives who attempted to arrest him at his enclave. The attack resulted in the killing of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, while Jimoh escaped and remained underground for more than a decade.
Babafemi described the arrest as a major breakthrough, noting that Jimoh was notorious for drug trafficking and violent resistance against law enforcement. He said the suspect was tracked to his hideout through credible intelligence and arrested without incident, adding that the seizure of illicit drugs further underscored his continued involvement in narcotics trafficking.
He recalled that Jimoh’s criminal network was previously uncovered in August 2023, when NDLEA operatives raided his residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, and recovered 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilogrammes. Although the suspect escaped during that operation, the property, which was being used as a drug warehouse, was later forfeited to the Federal Government.
Babafemi stressed that the arrest reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that fugitives, regardless of how long they evade justice, are eventually brought to book.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA recorded multiple seizures and arrests across several states as part of ongoing nationwide operations. In Edo State, operatives raided the Arokpa forest in Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, arresting a 53-year-old suspect, Isihor Edika, and seizing 320 kilogrammes of skunk along with cannabis seeds.
In the Federal Capital Territory, a 44-year-old woman, Yinka Agboola, was arrested in the Kaura District for allegedly selling illicit drugs online. Recovered from her residence were 2.2 kilogrammes of skunk and quantities of cannabis oil reportedly produced in her kitchen. Another suspect, Tordue Pius Richard, 30, was also arrested in Abuja with cocaine and skunk.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers seized 118.1 kilogrammes of skunk from Dauda Kareem and Saheed Obisesan at Fadeyi, Mushin, while an additional 116 kilogrammes were recovered from a warehouse in the New Market area of Enugu, Enugu State.
Along the Onitsha–Asaba Expressway in Delta State, two suspects, Zaharadeen Yahaya, 25, and Sanusi Maman, 23, were intercepted with 410,800 tramadol pills, 84.2 litres of codeine syrup, 82,250 tablets of diazepam and other controlled substances.
In Oyo State, operatives arrested Adetunji Ahmed Abayomi, 33, and Rasheed Ajao, 28, in Ibadan with large quantities of skuchies and synthetic cannabis, while another raid in the Agbeni area led to the recovery of more than 52,000 tramadol and bromazepam pills.
In Kwara State, officers seized 42 bags of skunk weighing 387.4 kilogrammes at a residence in the Gamo area of Ilorin. In Jigawa State, an ex-convict, Gaddafi Ammani, 26, and his accomplice, Ahmed Sani, 32, were arrested in Nassarawa GRA, Ringim, with quantities of skunk and exol-5 pills. Babafemi disclosed that Ammani attempted to escape during the operation and injured an NDLEA officer.
The agency said the latest arrests and seizures reflect its sustained offensive against drug trafficking networks across the country.
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved a new round of appointments and promotions with immediate effect, as part of efforts to strengthen governance and enhance institutional performance in the state.
The development was announced in a statement released on Monday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
According to the statement, Abubakar Ibrahim Matawalle has been appointed as the Acting Director-General of the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board. Matawalle, a retired permanent secretary, previously served in a similar role and also held office as the board’s executive secretary. He was described as a seasoned administrator who rose through the civil service ranks from Assistant Secretary to Permanent Secretary before retiring in 2014, after eight years in the position. The statement noted his strong track record in the effective management of Hajj operations.
Governor Yusuf also approved the promotion of Yusuf Mukhtar to the rank of Permanent Secretary.
In another appointment, Barrister Rahama Malam Alhaji was named Provost of the Kano State Anti-Corruption Institute. She was praised as an accomplished legal practitioner with over seven years’ experience spanning litigation, corporate law, electricity law, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. The statement highlighted her professional background across both public and private sectors, including her time at the Kano Electricity Distribution Company and her role as Head of the School of Law at Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria. She holds a Master of Laws degree in International Law and was credited with pioneering initiatives such as the establishment of a Law Clinic and a Student Bar Association.
The governor further approved the promotion of veteran Kannywood actress Aina’u Ade from Special Assistant to Senior Special Assistant on Kannywood Affairs, citing her impressive performance and dedication in her previous assignment.
The statement said the latest appointments and promotions reflect the administration’s resolve to reinforce governance structures and ensure the efficient management of public institutions. Governor Yusuf urged the beneficiaries to justify the confidence reposed in them through diligence, transparency and unwavering commitment to the Kano First Agenda.
The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has issued a public alert over a fraudulent LinkedIn account impersonating its Director-General, Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa, urging Nigerians to disregard and report any communication linked to the fake profile.
In a statement released on Saturday by the Institute’s Media Consultant, Mr Sam Eferaro, NIMR disclosed that the impostor account has been sending misleading messages to unsuspecting individuals, falsely offering procurement opportunities, contracts and other business-related engagements.
According to the statement, the attention of the Institute was drawn to the existence of the fake LinkedIn profile posing as the Director-General, adding that all messages emanating from the account are entirely fraudulent.
NIMR cautioned members of the public against engaging with any messages purportedly sent by Professor Obafunwa through LinkedIn or other unofficial platforms, particularly those soliciting business dealings or financial commitments.
The Institute further emphasised that all legitimate interactions with vendors, contractors, partners and the public are conducted strictly through recognised and official institutional channels, in line with established public service procedures.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has dismissed calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria demanding the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over comments he allegedly made concerning genocide.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, the PFN described the demand as unfounded and unjustifiable, stressing that Prof. Amupitan, like every Nigerian, is constitutionally entitled to express opinions on matters of national interest, regardless of his public office.
The Fellowship maintained that the remarks attributed to the INEC chairman had no link to his official duties, noting that they were unrelated to elections or electoral processes, which fall within the scope of his professional responsibilities.
“We strongly oppose such calls because Prof. Amupitan, as a citizen of Nigeria, has the right to speak on issues he perceives as affecting the nation, irrespective of his appointment or position,” the statement said.
PFN further condemned suggestions that the INEC chairman should be removed on the basis of personal views expressed outside his official mandate, warning that such actions could set a dangerous precedent where public officials are penalised for holding or expressing independent opinions.
The organisation also cautioned against interpreting national discourse through religious perspectives, arguing that such an approach risks deepening societal divisions and threatening peaceful coexistence.
“We must guard against profiling individuals or judging them based on religious considerations. Prof. Amupitan has the right to express his views, and this should not come at the expense of his office,” the statement added.
The Fellowship urged stakeholders to exercise restraint and mutual respect in addressing sensitive national issues, emphasising that unity, fairness, and peaceful engagement must remain central to public discourse.
PFN reaffirmed its commitment to justice and national cohesion, calling on Nigerians to uphold democratic values in responding to differing opinions on matters affecting the country.