The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested and repatriated a suspected drug kingpin, Festus Ibewuike, alias Chidibest Ibewuike, who had been on the run for more than two years following the seizure of 49.70 kilogrammes of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Ibewuike was among three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia after NDLEA operatives intercepted the consignment in February 2024 during a coordinated 12-day operation at the airport’s cargo terminal.
In a statement signed by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Femi Babafemi , the 49.70kg heroin, concealed inside cartons of metal-cutting machines, was described as the single largest heroin consignment ever intercepted at the MMIA.
Investigations linked Ibewuike to the trafficking network, with his wife, Confidence Ndidiamaka Ibewuike, among those arrested. The agency said she routinely received drug-laden parcels bearing the code “ND” on his behalf.
The operation also led to 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.
How NDLEA tracked him down
For more than two years, Ibewuike allegedly moved between Mozambique and Nigeria through neighbouring Benin Republic, in an attempt to evade arrest.
The escape finally ended on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, when he was arrested at an airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, following actionable intelligence.
The NDLEA said it worked with INTERPOL in Nigeria and Benin Republic to facilitate his transfer. A team of NDLEA operatives travelled to Cotonou on Friday, September 4, to take custody of the suspect before conveying him to Nigeria.
During preliminary questioning, the 52-year-old suspect confirmed his identity and disclosed that he had changed his name from Chidibest Ibewuike to Festus Ibewuike.
On Saturday, 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, which investigators had linked to him.
Further investigation also revealed that Ibewuike had previously been associated with another drug case before the Federal High Court in Lagos involving the seizure of 40.255 kilogrammes of methamphetamine. The case, which involved one Chidi Ihedioha, resulted in his conviction in 2023.
‘NDLEA will not relent’ — Marwa
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 efforts to track down fleeing drug kingpins.
Marwa warned suspects still at large that leaving Nigeria would not shield them from prosecution, saying the agency would continue to pursue them regardless of how long they remain in hiding.
He also commended the multinational cooperation that facilitated Ibewuike’s transfer, particularly the Nigerian and Beninese INTERPOL National Central Bureaus.