NDLEA arrests wanted drug kingpin ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’ after 12-year manhunt

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a long-wanted drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as “Kanmo-Kanmo”, 12 years after his alleged involvement in the killing of three NDLEA officers.

Jimoh was apprehended on Friday, January 16, 2026, after NDLEA tactical teams tracked him to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State, following credible intelligence. The agency said the operation was carried out without incident.

During the arrest, operatives recovered 69 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from the suspect. The NDLEA described the arrest as a major breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to bring long-standing fugitives to justice.

Jimoh has been on the agency’s wanted list since June 15, 2014, when he allegedly orchestrated a violent mob attack on NDLEA officers who attempted to arrest him at his enclave. The attack resulted in the killing of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, who were reportedly murdered by armed thugs mobilised by the suspect.

Although Jimoh escaped during the 2014 incident, the NDLEA said it sustained intelligence-led efforts to track him down in order to ensure justice for the slain officers.

The agency recalled that on August 12, 2023, operatives raided Jimoh’s residence in Ado-Odo town, Ogun State, but he again escaped arrest. However, officers recovered 139 sacks of skunk weighing a total of 1,922 kilogrammes during the operation.

Following asset forfeiture proceedings instituted by the NDLEA, the Ado-Odo property, which was allegedly used as a warehouse for illicit drugs, was subsequently forfeited to the federal government.

The NDLEA said Jimoh would be charged to court after the conclusion of ongoing investigations.