The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, a 58-year-old fugitive drug kingpin in Lagos state.
This arrest ends a 15-year manhunt that spanned both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Ilomuanya was arrested on Monday, February 23, 2026, in a carefully coordinated operation by the agency’s Special Operations Unit.
He had been on the wanted lists of both Nigerian and British authorities for drug trafficking offences.
The NDLEA reported that Ilomuanya was first arrested in the UK in February 2003, convicted for drug trafficking, and sentenced to nine years in prison.
However, he was released after two years following a successful appeal.
He resurfaced in 2011 with another UK arrest for drug-related crimes, was granted administrative bail, but fled to Nigeria.
In November 2018, Nigerian operatives discovered two secret methamphetamine laboratories linked to him, one in Obinugwu, Imo State, and another in Lagos—seizing 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine along with production equipment.
He was arraigned in a Lagos federal high court, but allegedly jumped bail and evaded capture until now.
Mohamed Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman and CEO described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the fight against drug cartels.
Marwa said, “Whether you jump bail in London or operate clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will catch you.”
He commended the special operations unit for their professionalism and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to intelligence-led operations and international collaboration to prevent Nigeria from becoming a haven for drug traffickers.
