A notorious drug kingpin, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, has been apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following a large seizure of cocaine and heroin linked to him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
Chidiebere was first arrested in 2013 for his involvement in a cocaine shipment into Nigeria and was subsequently charged before Justice Ayokunle Faji at the Federal High Court. However, he jumped bail after being granted release and evaded capture for over a decade.
According to a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, “He (Chidiebere) has been on the run since then.”
In February 2024, Chidiebere’s name resurfaced when he was identified as a key player in a 49.70-kilogram heroin shipment intercepted by NDLEA operatives.
Following this, an operation at his hotel, Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites, led to the recovery of an additional 2.20 kilograms of heroin from a guest. However, “Chidiebere went underground after that,” the NDLEA said.
Babafemi revealed that mounting pressure from law enforcement authorities led Chidiebere to surrender on February 13, 2026.
He is now in custody, facing both his previous charges and fresh counts related to the recent heroin consignments.
In related developments, NDLEA operatives dismantled a secret methamphetamine laboratory in Imo State, recovering 18.4 kilograms of the drug along with production equipment on February 25, 2026.
The agency also intercepted a Togolese woman, Hadiza Musa, at the Seme border on February 27 with 5,000 tramadol pills concealed in her luggage.
Additionally, significant quantities of skunk, including 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup, were seized across various states, including Kano and Katsina.
Reacting to the arrests, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the agency’s efforts in tackling drug-related crimes.
“I commend our officers for their persistence and professionalism in this operation,” he said following Chidiebere’s arrest.
Marwa reiterated the agency’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks, stating, “We remain resolute in bringing all offenders to justice.”
