The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug baron, Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, who had been in hiding for 17 years.
According to Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja Femi Babafemi, the 59-year-old suspect was apprehended at his hideout in the Ojo area of Lagos following an extensive investigation aided by an Interpol Red Notice and intelligence from the National Intelligence Service of South Korea.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, March 3, 2025, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the arrest as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against international drug trafficking. He emphasized that the agency remains committed to dismantling drug cartels and bringing traffickers to justice.
Marwa disclosed that Ogbonnaya was a key figure in a global drug syndicate, smuggling illicit substances worth billions of naira across multiple countries. Intelligence revealed that he recruited young Nigerians as drug couriers to transport illicit substances into South Korea. Many of these couriers were apprehended abroad, with their arrests tracing back to his operations. Additionally, he laundered drug proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods.
A search of his residence uncovered multiple Nigerian international passports with Korean visas, as well as illicit substances stored at a facility behind his house. Further investigation established his role as the leader of a drug trafficking network spanning Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia, and other African countries.
Ogbonnaya had previously served a one-year prison sentence in South Korea in 2007 before being deported to Nigeria in 2008. However, he continued orchestrating drug operations remotely, with two outstanding arrest warrants issued against him by the Seoul Central District Court in 2024 for multiple narcotics-related offences, carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
According to NDLEA, Ogbonnaya’s syndicate was responsible for smuggling narcotics valued at over N1.4 billion into South Korea in recent years. One of his intercepted shipments included over six kilograms of skunk concealed in dried chilies and jujube, dispatched from Burkina Faso in October 2023.
Marwa reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to preventing Nigeria from becoming a hub for drug trafficking. He vowed continued collaboration with international partners to ensure that no drug baron finds sanctuary in the country.
