2025.3.3 Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff: How NDLEA arrested wanted drug baron in Lagos – Marwa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has said that the reign of a wanted 59-year-old drug baron, Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, has been brought to a halt following his arrest at his hideout in the Ojo area of Lagos.
NDLEA said the suspect’s arrest comes after 17 years of hiding in the dark to ship illicit drugs worth billions of naira across the world.
The NDLEA chairman, Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday 3rd March 2025, detailing how operatives of the agency’s Special Operations Unit had been on the drug baron’s trail, following an Interpol red notice against him and information from the National Intelligence Service of South Korea.
This was disclosed in a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja.
Marwa said, “The major development that warranted this special briefing pertains to the arrest of a drug lord who’s wanted across the world as the leader of an international drug trafficking organisation.
“I am therefore pleased to announce this significant breakthrough in our efforts to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates operating within the country.
“As we have said four years ago when we began the reform of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, our prime targets are drug barons and other important figures that organise drug trafficking rings.
“On Wednesday, 12th February 2025, we achieved that objective in the successful arrest of Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, a 59-year-old drug baron”.
“The suspect was arrested at his hideout at No. 3, Ibukunoluwa Taiwo Close, off LASU Road, Lagos. He has been under NDLEA investigation before his arrest.
“As a result, we have comprehensive intelligence on his activities, and incontrovertible facts that he is a notorious drug lord who recruited young Nigerians as couriers to smuggle illicit substances into the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
“Our records reveal that many Nigerians apprehended outside the country for drug-related offences were linked to him.
“Furthermore, we have established that he laundered drug proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods.
“Following his arrest, a search of his residence led to the recovery of multiple Nigerian international passports belonging to different individuals, many of which contained Korean visas.
“Additionally, we recovered some illicit substances in a storehouse at the back of his house.”
While unmasking the suspect’s leadership role in the drug underworld, the NDLEA boss said, “Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is not a typical domestic drug baron; he is an international trafficker operating both from Nigeria and abroad.
“His dossier indicates that he served a one-year prison sentence in the Republic of Korea in 2007 and was deported to Nigeria in 2008. Despite this, he continued his illicit trade, remaining actively involved in drug trafficking operations to the Far East.
“Presently, he is wanted in the Republic of Korea for multiple drug trafficking offences in collaboration with his accomplices. An INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his arrest and extradition to the country for offences committed between 2023 and 2024.
“From a series of interdictions, it has been established that Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is the ringleader of a drug trafficking organisation responsible for smuggling narcotics into the People’s Republic of Korea.
“He has been orchestrating operations remotely by giving instructions to drug mules and domestic suppliers who are members of his syndicate spread across Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia and other East and Southern African countries.”
Marwa further gave insights into what investigations had unearthed about Ogbonnaya’s illicit trade activities.
“On 5th October 2023, at a location in Burkina Faso, the suspect dispatched 6,051.06 grams of skunk, concealed in dried chillies and jujube, to a Korean, Kim Dong Wook at a designated address in Jinju City, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. The package arrived at Incheon Airport on 19th October 2023 at 07:20 am via Air France.
“Investigation reveals that while residing in Nigeria, he directed his drug couriers, Santa Elizabeth Pieterse and Carl Yohan Stephan Brisman, to smuggle a total of five kilograms of methamphetamine into South Korea via overseas flights, between December 2023 and April 2024.
“In recent time alone, he has sent illicit drugs worth over N1.4billion in street value to South Korea.
“Ogbonnoya maintains another domestic carrier, identified as “Asa”, who delivers for him drug consignments to a warehouse operated by Okori Emmanuel, a Nigerian who is his supply manager in South Korea.
“As of now, two arrest warrants have been issued against Ogbonnaya by the Seoul Central District Court in January and June 2024. These warrants charge him with importing narcotic drugs in violation of Article 3-7 of South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act, an offence punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.”
Marwa assured of NDLEA’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria does not serve as a base for international drug trafficking operations.
“We will continue our relentless fight against illicit drug networks and their financiers, in line with our mandate to safeguard public health and national security.
“The arrest of Ogbonnaya is therefore an affirmation of our resolve to work with our international partners to ensure no drug baron finds Nigeria a comfort zone to distribute illicit substances within the country or traffic them to other countries.”
2025.3.2 Neighbor arrested for defiling 3-year old girl in Ogun
A 25 years old man identified as Muniru Haruna has been arrested by men of the Odede police division in Ogun State for allegedly defiling a three-year old girl.
The suspect was said to have committed the act on Saturday, when the minor was playing nearby.
Confirming the incident to DAILY POST on Sunday, the police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, said the mother of the survivor reported the incident.
According to Odutola, the 20-year old mother named Alaba Abdullahi heard her daughter crying and on rushing down to know why, saw the child coming out of the suspect’s room.
The child also displayed difficulty while walking and exhibited signs of physical trauma.
Odutola said, “On March 1, 2025, at about 11:00 am, the local Police out station at Orile-Ilugun received a distress call from 20-year-old Alaba Abdullahi regarding her three-year-old daughter.
“Alaba reported that Muniru Haruna, a 25-year-old man residing in the same area, allegedly committed the act while the victim was playing nearby.
“The incident was discovered when Alaba heard her child crying and quickly went to investigate, only to find her daughter emerging from the suspect’s room in evident distress.
“Upon further examination, it was revealed that the victim had difficulty walking and exhibited signs of physical trauma.”
Odutola stated that the minor was taken to General Hospital Odeda for medical examination and necessary treatment, adding that the police awaits the doctor’s results .
She however noted that although the suspect has denied the allegations levied against him, the case was referred to Division Crime Branch for investigation and will be transferred to the State CID Eleweran upon completion of the preliminary inquiry.
The police spokesperson reiterated the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of members of the public, especially children.
2025.3.2 Three arrested for killing teen over ₦400,000 fraud in Jigawa
The Jigawa State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old man, Ahmad Abdullahi, over a ₦400,000 fraud case.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Shiisu Adam, disclosed this in a statement issued in Dutse on Saturday.
According to the statement, the suspects; Malam Adamu Aliyu (30), Malam Mukhtar Abdulmumin (37), and Malam Nafiu Ibrahim (80) were apprehended in Illela town, Sokoto State, on February 8, 2025.
According to police investigations, the trio allegedly conspired to defraud Abdullahi of ₦400,000. When he demanded his money back, they lured him to a riverside in Hadejia town, strangled him, and dumped his body in the river.
“After committing the crime, the suspects fled to the Niger Republic to evade arrest, but through intelligence gathering and collaboration with security agencies, they were tracked down and brought back to Jigawa State,” SP Shiisu said.
He assured the public that justice would be served.
“The case has been charged to court, and the suspects will face the full wrath of the law.”
2025.3.1 Police arrest Ogun community leaders, hunters who allegedly kill cattle belonging to herder
Operatives of the Ifo police division have arrested six community leaders and hunters for allegedly attacking and killing herds of cattle belonging to a herder identified as Usman Abubakar.
The suspects are Taiwo Obasa, Gbolahan Abdullahi, Ojo Musiliu, Okwu Odey, Zomisin Lulu, and Abiodun Shoyoye.
The suspects allegedly attacked the cattle, resulting in four cows being killed, butchered, and distributed among themselves, while two cows were injured and four others went missing.
The police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirming the incident to DAILY POST on Saturday, said the command was alerted by Usman Abubakar, owner of the herds, and that investigations are ongoing.
She said, “The Ogun State Police Command is actively investigating an incident reported on February 28, 2025, involving local community leaders and cattle herders in the Ifo area.
“On February 25, 2025, at approximately 0100 hours, Mr. Usman Abubakar of Olorunsogo Village reported that his herders were moving cattle through Oba Karounwi Village near Ifo when they were confronted by local leaders (Baales) from Oba’s Gidimo and Oba Oseni, accompanied by hunters.
“Despite the herders’ appeals, the group allegedly attacked the cattle, resulting in four cows being killed, butchered, and distributed among the assailants; two cows were injured, and four went missing.”
Odutola noted that upon receiving the report, officers from the Ifo division promptly visited the scene and arrested the suspects.
She disclosed that during interrogation, Obasa and Abdullahi admitted witnessing the attack and receiving meat from a hunter named Terry, which has been recovered.
Odutola stated that the implicated Baales had earlier reported a case of assault by the herders at the Agbado division, adding that, sensing duplicity in the case, the matter will be investigated by the Ifo divisional police officer.
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