NDLEA Arrests Delta Drug Kingpin, Seizes N7.8bn Opioids in Nationwide Raids

Story: written Uzuh Rita August 18,2025
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug trafficker, Sunday Ibigide, 36, in Asaba, Delta State, three years after launching a nationwide manhunt for him.

NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Sunday, August 17, 2025. He disclosed that Ibigide was apprehended while attempting to transport 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138kg in a distribution bus, alongside his aide, Clement Osuya, 27.

The suspect had been on the agency’s watchlist since March 2022, following his link to a seizure of 24.1kg of skunk and 10 grams of molly, before he went into hiding. His arrest was based on credible intelligence.

In related operations, NDLEA operatives, supported by the military and local vigilantes, destroyed 37,500kg of cannabis cultivated on 15 hectares of farmland in Enugu Ezike, Enugu State, between August 14 and 15. Six suspects were taken into custody during the raids.

Similarly, massive drug seizures were recorded in multiple states:

Rivers State (Onne Port): 875,000 bottles of codeine syrup valued at over N6.1 billion and 3.5 million opioid pills worth N1.7 billion were intercepted from five containers under NDLEA’s watchlist during joint operations with Customs and other security agencies.
Gombe State: 128,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from a suspect in Jauro Jatau.
Taraba State: 11,250kg of cannabis was destroyed in Sardauna LGA, while 29,840 tramadol capsules were seized from a suspect in Wukari.
Kaduna & Kano States: Multiple arrests were made over seizures of tramadol, rohypnol, and
cannabis along Zaria-Kano highways.
Lagos State: A woman, Muyibat Mumuni, and her son were arrested with 149kg of Ghana Loud in Mushin, while another suspect was caught with 8.5kg of Canadian Loud in Lekki.
Edo State: NDLEA seized 432kg of skunk hidden in a bush in Etsako West and 130kg from a warehouse in Owan West.

Other seizures were also reported in Kogi, Enugu, and Seme borders, including ketamine injections, tramadol pills, and skunk parcels.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended the officers across various state commands, urging them to sustain the momentum in dismantling drug cartels and reducing illicit substances in circulation.