The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested and repatriated Festus Ibewuike, also known as Chidibest Ibewuike, a suspected drug kingpin who had been on the run for more than two years following the seizure of 49.70kg of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Ibewuike was one of three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia after NDLEA operatives intercepted the consignment during a coordinated 12-day operation in February 2024.
The 49.70kg shipment, concealed in cartons of metal-cutting machines, was intercepted at the Import Shed of the airport’s cargo terminal. The operation also led to the arrest of several members of the alleged trafficking syndicate, including Ibewuike’s wife, Confidence Ndidiamaka Ibewuike.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Confidence allegedly received drug-laden parcels marked with the code “ND” on behalf of her husband.
The agency said the investigation also resulted in the freezing of 107 bank accounts and the forfeiture of properties allegedly linked to the cartel.
Three suspects — Adinnu Felix Chinedu, Osita Emmanuel Obinna and Uzochukwu Frankline — have since been convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Three others — Chidiebere Reginald Peter, Ibewuike Ndidiamaka Confidence and Igbokwuputa Onyinye Ireene — are still standing trial, while Ibewuike Festus, Osita Chidozie Cyril and another suspect identified as Arinze were charged in absentia.
For more than two years, Ibewuike allegedly moved between Mozambique and Nigeria through neighbouring Benin Republic in an attempt to evade arrest. His run came to an end on September 2, 2026, when he was arrested at an airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, following actionable intelligence.
The NDLEA said it worked with INTERPOL authorities in Nigeria and Benin Republic to facilitate his handover. A team of NDLEA operatives travelled to Cotonou on September 4 to take custody of the suspect, who was subsequently returned to Nigeria to face prosecution.
During preliminary questioning, the 52-year-old suspect reportedly confirmed his identity and disclosed that he had changed his name from Chidibest Ibewuike to Festus Ibewuike.
On September 5, he was taken to the NDLEA Central Exhibit Store in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he formally identified the parcels of heroin bearing the “ND” code that investigators linked to his network.
Further investigation also linked Ibewuike to an earlier drug case involving the seizure of 40.255kg of methamphetamine. The case, filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos, involved a suspect identified as Chidi Ihedioha, who was convicted by the court in 2023.
Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the development as a major breakthrough in the agency’s pursuit of 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 warned other suspects still at large that leaving the country would not shield them from prosecution.
“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,” he said.
Marwa commended the cooperation between the Nigerian and Beninese INTERPOL National Central Bureaus, describing their role in the transfer of custody as crucial to the successful operation.
The NDLEA chairman reiterated that the agency would continue its efforts to locate and prosecute suspects fleeing the country in connection with drug trafficking offences.
