NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Kingpin After 7 Years of Prison Escape, Nabs Others

Salihu Ali, Abuja.

Last updated Nov 19, 2023

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a notorious major distributor of illicit substances within Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Ibrahim Momoh, popularly known as Ibrahim Bendel. The arrest is coming after seven years of Momoh’s escape from prison custody.

A press statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Mr Femi BabaFemi, revealed that Momoh was arrested during a raid of his hideout at Filin Dabo, Dei-Dei area of the FCT.

*Seven years after escape from prison, NDLEA arrests wanted Abuja drug kingpin*

*- Another nabbed in Ondo after jumping bail since 2022 as Agency recovers 63,767.3kgs of cannabis, 82,320 pills of opioids in raids across 8 states*

Read more at:https://t.co/a4sdDWwuBx pic.twitter.com/q67Bt89Q3M

— NDLEA NIGERIA (@ndlea_nigeria) November 19, 2023

According to the NDLEA, Ibrahim Momoh was first arrested on the 27th of November, 2014, with cannabis sativa weighing 385.1kgs.

He was prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on 22nd July, 2015 but while serving his jail term at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, he escaped from prison custody on 16th May, 2016.

Following credible intelligence, the NDLEA operatives on 20th November, 2022, stormed the warehouse of the fleeing ex-convict, Ibrahim Momoh, and recovered 81 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,278kgs.

The store was located within his poultry farm in Dei-Dei area of the FCT.

“Though Momoh was not around at the time, his warehouse manager, 55-year-old Ghanaian, Richard Forson Gordon, was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to two years in jail. The agency, thereafter, declared Ibrahim Momoh wanted,” the NDLEA disclosed.

BabaFemi explained that the manhunt for the drug lord paid off on 5th November, 2023 when operatives again raided his hideout at Filin Dabo, Dei-Dei area of Abuja, where he was arrested with 56.9kgs of cannabis sativa and 42.7 grams of Diazepam.

In yet another raid in the same area of the FCT on Monday, 13th November, 2023, a suspect, Yusufa Ibrahim, 27, was arrested with 75.3kgs of cannabis.

Meanwhile, a massive operation in the forest of Efon Alaye in Efon local government area of Ekiti State on Saturday, 18th November, 2023, has led to the destruction of 52,500 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, covering over 21 hectares of farmland.

No fewer than 15 suspects were arrested on the farm during the operation.

The agency also recovered large quantities of cannabis and pills of opioids in raids across Ondo, Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, Ogun and Imo States.

Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa.

While commending the officers and men of the affected commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week, the Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the agency to intensify the offensive action tempo against drug cartels, as the yuletide season approaches.

Marwa also urged the operatives to maintain a balance in their drug demand reduction efforts.