NDLEA Arrests Fugitive Drug Kingpin with N1.4bn Worth of Illicit Substances in Lagos

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, who had been on the run for 17 years. NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa announced the arrest at a press conference in Abuja, describing it as a major breakthrough in dismantling international drug trafficking networks.

The 59-year-old suspect was apprehended at his hideout in the Ojo area of Lagos following intelligence provided by the National Intelligence Service of South Korea and an Interpol red notice. Marwa revealed that Jeff had been under investigation for years, with extensive evidence linking him to drug smuggling operations that recruited young Nigerians as couriers to transport narcotics to South Korea. Many Nigerians arrested abroad for drug-related offences were reportedly working under his syndicate.

A search of Jeff’s residence uncovered multiple Nigerian passports with Korean visas, along with illicit substances stored at the back of his house. Investigations revealed that he had laundered drug proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods. Despite serving a prison sentence in South Korea in 2007 and being deported in 2008, Jeff resumed his illicit activities, operating from Nigeria and coordinating drug trafficking rings across Africa and Asia.

Authorities established that he orchestrated the smuggling of drugs worth over N1.4 billion into South Korea. In October 2023, he allegedly sent over six kilograms of skunk concealed in dried chillies and jujube to a contact in Jinju City, South Korea. Between December 2023 and April 2024, he directed couriers to smuggle five kilograms of methamphetamine via overseas flights. He also maintained a domestic carrier, known as ‘Asa,’ who delivered drugs to a warehouse managed by Okori Emmanuel, his supply manager in South Korea.

The Seoul Central District Court issued two arrest warrants against Jeff in January and June 2024 for multiple drug trafficking offences, which carry a potential life sentence under South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act. Marwa reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to eliminating drug trafficking networks, stressing that Nigeria will not serve as a base for international drug syndicates. He assured that the agency would continue collaborating with global partners to prevent the country from becoming a hub for illicit drug activities.