NDLEA nabs alleged drug kingpin Festus Ibewuike
By Mercy Ajekigbe
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested and repatriated Festus Ibewuike, alias Chidibest Ibewuike, a suspected drug kingpin who had evaded arrest for over two years.
The agency disclosed this in an official statement issued on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
According to the NDLEA, Ibewuike was one of three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia following the interception of 49.70kg of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The agency described the seizure as the single largest heroin consignment ever recorded at the airport.
The seizure followed a coordinated 12-day operation carried out in February 2024 by operatives of the NDLEA’s MMIA Strategic Command. The operation led to the arrest of six key members of the drug syndicate, including Ibewuike’s wife, Confidence Ndidiamaka Ibewuike.
It also led to the freezing of 107 bank accounts and the forfeiture of properties allegedly linked to the cartel.
In an attempt to evade Nigerian law enforcement, Ibewuike relocated to Mozambique, where he operated a hotel business as a front. For more than two years, he remained a fugitive, reportedly shuttling between Mozambique and Nigeria through the neighbouring Republic of Benin.
His evasion from the law ended following actionable intelligence and collaboration between the NDLEA and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).
Ibewuike was arrested at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. He was subsequently repatriated to Nigeria to face prosecution over his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
Further investigation, according to the NDLEA, revealed that Ibewuike had previously been linked to another drug-related case before the Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari.
The case, filed under charge number FHC/L/203C/2013, involved the seizure of 40.255kg of methamphetamine and one Chidi Ihedioha, who was subsequently convicted by the court in 2023.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described Ibewuike’s arrest as a major breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to track down fleeing drug kingpins.
“This arrest is a major breakthrough in our resolve to track down and bring to justice every drug baron who thinks that fleeing Nigeria’s shores puts them beyond the reach of the law,” Marwa said.
“As I have always vowed, the long arm of the NDLEA will catch up with anyone involved in this illicit trade, no matter how long it takes or how far they run.
“Festus Ibewuike ran for over two years, hiding under a change of name and a new life abroad, but today he is back in Nigeria to answer for the 49.70kg heroin seizure linked to his network. This should serve as a fresh warning to fleeing suspects still at large: the Agency will not relent until every one of you is brought to book.”
Marwa also commended the multinational cooperation that facilitated the arrest and repatriation, particularly the Nigerian and Beninese INTERPOL National Central Bureaus, for their roles in ensuring a smooth transfer of custody.
