The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended 58-year-old fugitive drug lord Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had been on the wanted list in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom for more than 15 years. The arrest is seen as a major setback for international drug trafficking networks.
Ilomuanya was arrested in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, following a high-stakes operation by the agency’s Special Operations Unit. According to the NDLEA, the arrest concludes a long-running pursuit linked to his persistent involvement in drug trafficking across Nigeria and the UK.
Ilomuanya was first arrested in the UK in February 2003 and sentenced to nine years for drug trafficking, though he served only two years after an appeal. He was rearrested in July 2011 on drug-related charges, granted administrative bail, and fled to Nigeria.
In November 2018, NDLEA operatives discovered two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories at his homes in Obinugwu, Imo State, and Barrister Declan Uzoma Close, Lagos. Authorities seized 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine along with production equipment. Ilomuanya subsequently jumped bail and remained at large until his recent capture.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa described the arrest as a “significant breakthrough” in the fight against drug cartels, emphasizing that the agency’s reach extends across borders. He commended the Special Operations Unit for their diligence and reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to intelligence-led operations and international collaboration to dismantle drug trafficking networks nationwide.
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