NDLEA Nabs ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’ 12 Years After Brutal Murder of Three Officers

ABUJA — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has finally caught up with Lekan Jimoh, the notorious drug baron known as “Kanmo-Kanmo,” ending a twelve-year manhunt that began with the cold-blooded killing of three anti-narcotic agents.

Operatives of the agency’s tactical team stormed Jimoh’s hideout in Owode town, Ogun State, on Friday, January 16, 2026, effecting his arrest and recovering 69 kilograms of skunk.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, confirmed the high-profile capture in a statement on Sunday, describing it as a “triumph of justice.”

A Bloody History: The 2014 Ambush

Jimoh had evaded justice since June 15, 2014. On that fateful day, he orchestrated a lethal mob attack against an NDLEA team that had attempted to raid his enclave.

The ambush resulted in the death of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure. While Jimoh escaped the scene, the agency placed him on its most-wanted list, vowing to track him down.

“This arrest closes a painful chapter,” Babafemi stated. “For twelve years, this individual lived with the blood of our gallant officers on his hands. He mistakenly thought that time had erased his crimes.”

The Manhunt and Previous Escapes

The road to Jimoh’s capture involved relentless intelligence gathering. He narrowly escaped another raid on August 12, 2023, when operatives struck his residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State.

Although Jimoh fled during that operation, the NDLEA seized 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilograms. The Federal Government subsequently secured a court order to forfeit the property, which he used as a warehouse for his illicit trade.

Zero Tolerance for Fugitives

The NDLEA has ramped up its offensive against drug cartels across Nigeria. Babafemi warned that the agency retains a “long memory” and will not stop until all fugitives face the law.

“You may run, and you may hide for a season, but the long arm of the law will eventually find you,” he declared.

In separate operations, the agency also recorded successes in Edo and the FCT. Operatives raided the Arokpa forest in Owan West, Edo State, arresting a suspect with 320kg of cannabis, while a raid in Abuja led to the arrest of an online drug vendor with 2.2kg of skunk.