NDLEA arrests fugitive kingpin over 49.7kg heroin haul

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended former fugitive drug kingpin Festus Ibewuike, alias Chidibest Ibewuike, after he eluded capture for over two years. Ibewuike, 52, was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on September 2, 2026, following intelligence and joint efforts between NDLEA and INTERPOL authorities.

The seized heroin weighed 49.7 kilograms, which was the largest single consignment intercepted at Lagos airport. Ibewuike was initially linked to a drug network involved in trafficking heroin and methamphetamine, which resulted in the arrest of several members and the seizure of 107 bank accounts and properties. He was returned to Nigeria to face prosecution and was convicted in a previous drug case.

NDLEA's Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, expressed satisfaction with the arrest, warning that drug traffickers cannot evade justice by fleeing the country.