- NDLEA apprehended Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya in Lagos after 15 years on the run from Nigerian and UK authorities
- Ilomuanya had a long history of drug trafficking, including clandestine meth labs discovered in 2018
- The arrest marked a major success for the agency’s Special Operations Unit in dismantling international drug networks
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 58-year-old fugitive, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had been on the wanted lists of both the agency and British authorities for over 15 years. The arrest took place in Lagos on Monday, 23 February 2026, following a meticulously coordinated operation by officers of the agency’s Special Operations Unit.
In a statement released on Wednesday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi described Ilomuanya as a recidivist with a long history of drug-related offences in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. “In a significant blow to international drug trafficking networks, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a fugitive drug lord who has been eluding justice for more than a decade and a half,” the statement read.
Ilomuanya’s criminal history dates back to February 2003, when he was first arrested in the United Kingdom and convicted for drug trafficking. He was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment but served only two years following a successful appeal. Not deterred, Ilomuanya was arrested again in the UK in July 2011 for further drug-related offences, granted administrative bail, and subsequently fled to Nigeria.
In Nigeria, his criminal activities continued unabated. In November 2018, NDLEA operatives discovered two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories—one at his residence in Lagos and another at his country home in Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State. Officers recovered nearly 78 kilograms of methamphetamine along with extensive production equipment. Following this, Ilomuanya was charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos but later jumped bail, remaining at large until his recent capture.
Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Buba Marwa, described the development as a “significant breakthrough” in the fight against drug trafficking networks operating both within Nigeria and internationally. He emphasised that the agency remains committed to intelligence-led operations and strengthened collaboration with international partners to ensure the country is not used as a base for illicit drug operations.
Marwa also commended the officers of the Special Operations Unit for their role in the operation and reaffirmed the agency’s dedication to dismantling organised drug networks.
The arrest of Ilomuanya comes just days after the NDLEA announced the capture of another fugitive kingpin, Reginald Chidiebere, who had evaded authorities for 13 years over alleged involvement in cocaine and heroin trafficking. Together, these arrests highlight the agency’s ongoing success in targeting high-profile drug offenders and dismantling criminal networks that operate across borders.
Ilomuanya now faces renewed prosecution for his crimes in Nigeria, signalling a potentially lengthy legal battle ahead and marking the end of a 15-year cat-and-mouse game with law enforcement.