NDLEA Nabs Notorious Drug Baron ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’ 12 Years After Murder of Officers
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a notorious drug trafficker, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as Kanmo-Kanmo, who had been on the agency’s wanted list for over a decade following the killing of three NDLEA officers during an attempted arrest in Ogun State.
Jimoh was apprehended on Friday, January 16, 2026, in Owode town, Ogun State, after tactical teams of the agency tracked him to his hideout through intelligence-led operations. A search conducted at the location led to the recovery of 69 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
Confirming the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect had been evading arrest since June 15, 2014, when he allegedly mobilised armed thugs to violently attack NDLEA officers who attempted to arrest him at his enclave.
According to the agency, the 2014 attack resulted in the death of three NDLEA officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, after they were overpowered by armed assailants loyal to the suspect. Jimoh reportedly escaped during the incident and went underground for years.
Babafemi described the arrest as a major breakthrough, noting that Jimoh’s criminal activities were marked by extreme violence, large-scale drug trafficking and persistent attempts to evade law enforcement.
The NDLEA spokesperson recalled that in August 2023, operatives had raided the suspect’s residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, recovering 139 sacks of skunk weighing about 1,922 kilograms. Jimoh, however, escaped arrest at the time. The property, which served as a drug warehouse, was later forfeited to the Federal Government following court proceedings.
Meanwhile, the agency recorded multiple arrests and seizures across the country as part of sustained nationwide anti-drug operations.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided Arokpa forest in Uzebba town, Owan West Local Government Area, where a 53-year-old suspect, Isihor Edika, was arrested and 320 kilograms of skunk alongside cannabis seeds were seized.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a 44-year-old woman, Yinka Agboola, was arrested at Kaura District for allegedly selling illicit drugs online. Items recovered from her residence included 2.2 kilograms of skunk and quantities of cannabis oil reportedly produced and distributed from her home. Another suspect, Tordue Pius Richard, 30, was also arrested in Abuja with cocaine and skunk.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted 118.1 kilograms of skunk at Fadeyi, Mushin, while another 116 kilograms were recovered from a warehouse at the New Market area of Enugu State.
Along the Onitsha Asaba Expressway in Delta State, two suspects were arrested while transporting large quantities of tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam, swinol and Molly.
Further seizures were recorded in Oyo, Kwara and Jigawa states, including the arrest of an ex-convict in Jigawa who attempted to escape during an operation and injured an NDLEA officer.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations across several states, describing the arrest of Jimoh as a triumph of justice.
Marwa said the capture of Kanmo-Kanmo sends a strong message that no fugitive is beyond the reach of the law, stressing that time does not erase crimes committed against the nation or its officers.
The NDLEA said it would continue to intensify efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks, apprehend long-wanted suspects and ensure accountability for attacks on law enforcement personnel.
