The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, after 13 years in hiding, following the seizure of large consignments of cocaine and heroin linked to him.
The NDLEA in a statement said Chidiebere was arrested after officers discovered drug consignments linked to him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
“After 13 years in hiding, a notorious drug lord, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, has been arrested following the seizure of large consignments of cocaine and heroin linked to him by agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.” the agency stated.
The NDLEA said the suspect was first arrested in 2013 for shipment of cocaine to Nigeria and was later arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos, charge number FHC/L/187c/2923. He was granted bail, but breached it shortly after and went into hiding, remaining a fugitive for years.
“In February 2024, his name appeared prominently as one of the masterminds of the consignment of 49.70 kilograms of heroin imported from South Africa following the interception of the consignment by NDLEA officers at the Lagos Airport Import Shed,” the agency said.
A follow-up operation was carried out on February 19, 2024 at his Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites located at 16/18 Reginald Peter Chidiebere Street, Hope Estate, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos. During the operation, an additional 2.20 kilograms of heroin was recovered from one of his guests, Igbuanugo Ebuka ThankGod.
“As a result, Chidiebere went underground,” the agency said.
The agency subsequently secured provisional seizure of his hotel and blocked all bank accounts traced to him since 2024.
The NDLEA explained that the suspect later surrendered after he could no longer survive while fleeing.
“Following these events, Chidiebere was no longer able to remain in hiding, causing him to surrender to the agency on February 13, 2026 and has since been detained to face outstanding charges for which he jumped bail in 2013 and new charges based on the 2024 heroin shipments linked to him,” the agency said.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives dismantled a clandestine drug laboratory in Imo State on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at Isiozi Obiato, Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area, where 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine was recovered along with large quantities of precursor chemicals and equipment used for drug production.
At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted a Togolese woman, Hadiza Musa, on Friday, February 27, after she concealed 5,000 Tramadol pills in her luggage. In another operation, 1,040 kilograms of skunk, a variety of cannabis, were recovered on Wednesday, February 25, from an unfinished building at Akodo village, Seaside Eleko, along the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos.
In Kano State, a suspect, Ashiru Bala, 45, was arrested in Lambu, Tafa LGA, with 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup while transporting the consignment in a Volkswagen Golf car marked CA 911 ABC.
Another suspect, Yahaya Usaini, 21, was arrested on Friday, February 27, while transporting 87.4 kilograms of skunk in a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number KUJ 544 RL along the Zaria-Dutsinma highway in Katsina State.
The NDLEA also said that no less than 637,600 opioid pills, including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5, were recovered on Thursday, February 26, when officers intercepted a Mercedes-Benz vehicle marked KWL-607DC along the Bali-Suntai Highway while transporting the drugs to Baruwa in Gashaka LGA, Taraba State. A similar operation in Lankaviri Yorro ended with the arrest of Musa Usman, 27, and the seizure of 126,022 kilograms of skunk.
In Abuja, 499.2 kilograms of skunk were recovered on Wednesday, February 25, in the Dei-Dei area of Abuja, while a suspect, Bulama Modu, 24, was intercepted in a commercial vehicle carrying 7,000 Tramadol capsules along the Bama-Konduga road in Borno State on Tuesday, February 24.
While commending officers from all commands, NDLEA Chairman and CEO Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.) commended their efforts in ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.