NDLEA Arrests Notorious Drug Kingpin ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’ 12 Years After Killing Three Officers

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as “Kanmo-Kanmo,” 12 years after he allegedly masterminded 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, following an intelligence-led operation by tactical teams of the agency. A search of his hideout led to the recovery of 69 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
In a statement released on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said Jimoh had been on the agency’s wanted list since June 15, 2014, after allegedly mobilising armed thugs to attack NDLEA officers who stormed his enclave to arrest him.
Babafemi described the arrest as a major breakthrough, noting that the suspect’s criminal record is marked by extreme violence, drug trafficking and repeated attempts to evade law enforcement.
“Following his involvement in the brutal killing of three NDLEA officers, Kanmo-Kanmo was tracked to his hideout in Owode, Ogun State, after credible intelligence,” Babafemi said. “He was found in possession of 69kg of skunk during the operation.”
He added that the arrest underscores the agency’s resolve to ensure that no fugitive remains beyond the reach of the law, regardless of how long justice is delayed.
The NDLEA recalled that in August 2023, operatives raided Jimoh’s residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, where 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilograms were recovered. The suspect escaped at the time, but 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 its intensified nationwide operations.
In Edo State, operatives raided Arokpa forest in Uzebba town, Owan West Local Government Area, arresting 53-year-old Isihor Edika and seizing 320 kilograms of skunk and cannabis seeds.
In Abuja, a 44-year-old woman, Yinka Agboola, was arrested in the Kaura District over the alleged online sale of illicit drugs. Recovered from her residence were 2.2 kilograms of skunk and quantities of cannabis oil. Another suspect, Tordue Pius Richard, 30, was also arrested with cocaine and skunk.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers seized 118.1 kilograms of skunk from two suspects at Fadeyi, Mushin, while another 116 kilograms of the substance was recovered from a warehouse in Enugu State.
Along the Onitsha–Asaba Expressway in Delta State, two suspects were intercepted while transporting large quantities of tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam, swinol and Molly.
Additional seizures were recorded in Oyo, Kwara and Jigawa states, with several suspects arrested and significant quantities of illicit drugs recovered.
Commending officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), described the arrest of Kanmo-Kanmo as a triumph of justice and a powerful warning to drug barons and fugitives.
“You may run, and you may hide for a season, but the long arm of the law will eventually find you,” Marwa said, adding that Jimoh’s arrest closes a painful chapter that began with the killing of three NDLEA officers in 2014.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying operations nationwide to dismantle drug trafficking networks, apprehend long-wanted suspects and ensure accountability for past attacks on law enforcement officers