NDLEA Arrests Suspected Drug Kingpin Linked To 49.70kg Heroin At Lagos Airport
NDLEA Arrests Suspected Drug Kingpin Linked To 49.70kg Heroin At Lagos Airport
The 49.70kg heroin consignment, described by the agency as the single largest heroin seizure ever recorded at the airport, was concealed in cartons of metal-cutting machines at the Import Shed of the airport’s cargo terminal.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested and repatriated Festus Ibewuike, alias Chidibest Ibewuike, a suspected drug kingpin who had evaded arrest for more than two years following the interception of 49.70kg of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The statement was signed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Ibewuike was among three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia after operatives of the NDLEA’s MMIA Strategic Command intercepted the consignment during a coordinated 12-day operation in February 2024.
The 49.70kg heroin consignment, described by the agency as the single largest heroin seizure ever recorded at the airport, was concealed in cartons of metal-cutting machines at the Import Shed of the airport’s cargo terminal.
NDLEA
The operation led to the arrest of key members of the syndicate, including Ibewuike’s wife, Confidence Ndidiamaka Ibewuike, who allegedly routinely received drug-laden parcels marked with the code “ND” on his behalf.
The NDLEA said the operation also resulted in the freezing of 107 bank accounts and the forfeiture of properties linked to the cartel.
Those arrested were subsequently charged before Hon. Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, in charge no. FHC/L/205C/2024.
Three of the suspects have so far been convicted and sentenced by the court. They are Adinnu Felix Chinedu, Osita Emmanuel Obinna and Uzochukwu Frankline.
Three other suspects still standing trial before the court are Chidiebere Reginald Peter, Ibewuike Ndidiamaka Confidence and Igbokwuputa Onyinye Ireene.
The agency said three other suspects who were charged in absentia include Ibewuike Festus, a.k.a. Ibewuike Chidibest; Osita Chidozie Cyril; and one Arinze.
For over two years, Ibewuike remained a fugitive, allegedly shuttling between Mozambique and Nigeria through neighbouring Benin Republic in an attempt to evade Nigerian law enforcement authorities.
His flight from justice came to an end following actionable intelligence that led to his arrest at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The NDLEA said it worked with INTERPOL in both Nigeria and Benin Republic to facilitate his handover to a team of NDLEA operatives deployed to Cotonou on Friday, September 4.
He was subsequently conveyed to Nigeria to answer for his alleged role in the trafficking syndicate.
During preliminary interviews, Ibewuike, 52, confirmed his identity and disclosed that he had changed his name from Chidibest Ibewuike to Festus Ibewuike.
On Saturday, September 5, 2026, he was taken to the Agency’s Central Exhibit Store in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he formally identified the parcels of heroin bearing the “ND” code, which the agency said had been established to be linked to him.
Further investigation also revealed that Ibewuike Festus had previously been associated with another drug-related case before the Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Hon. Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari.
The case, filed under charge no. FHC/L/203C/2013, involved the seizure of 40.255kg of methamphetamine. The case involved one Chidi Ihedioha, who was subsequently convicted by the court in 2023.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to track down fleeing drug kingpins.
“This arrest is a major breakthrough in our resolve to track down and bring to justice every drug baron who thinks that fleeing Nigeria’s shores puts them beyond the reach of the law,” Marwa said.
He added: “As I have always vowed, the long arm of the NDLEA will catch up with anyone involved in this illicit trade, no matter how long it takes or how far they run. Festus Ibewuike ran for over two years, hiding under a change of name and a new life abroad, but today he is back in Nigeria to answer for the 49.70kg heroin seizure linked to his network. This should serve as a fresh warning to fleeing suspects still at large: the Agency will not relent until every one of you is brought to book.”
Marwa also commended the multinational cooperation that led to Ibewuike’s arrest and repatriation, particularly the Nigerian and Beninese INTERPOL National Central Bureaus.
He praised both agencies for their role in ensuring a smooth transfer of custody and facilitating the return of the wanted suspect to Nigeria.
The NDLEA said Ibewuike would now face the legal consequences of his alleged involvement in the heroin trafficking operation that resulted in one of the agency’s biggest heroin seizures at the Lagos airport.
