NDLEA Arrests Wanted ‘Drug Baron’ in Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, a wanted “drug baron,” following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, said Ibemesi, also known as Chisco Bee, operated under the guise of a businessman and hotelier.
“The 42-year-old Ibemesi, MD/CEO of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig Ltd, was arrested at his Daisy Garden Hotel, 66-68 Agbeke Street, Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Lagos, in the early hours of Saturday, November 15, 2025.
“He was subsequently taken to his warehouse at 7 Pius Ezeobi Street, off Ago Palace Way, Isolo, where 42 jumbo bags and four cartons of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 1,762.8 kilograms, were recovered,” Babafemi said.
Cash seized from Ibemesi included $11,600, £2,000, £2,200, and 50 Canadian dollars.
NDLEA also recorded further drug busts across Osun, Edo, Ogun, Adamawa, and Kwara states. In Osun, operatives stopped a syndicate at Orita-Apeje, Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve, Ife South LGA, from distributing 11,135 kilograms of processed skunk cannabis. Two trucks were seized and seven suspects arrested.
In Edo, a total of 1,902.1 kilograms of skunk were recovered in different operations, including 184.1kg along a bush path at Oza/Igbanke road, 672kg from Utese forest, 494kg from a Mercedes-Benz car along Benin-Akure road, and 552kg from another Mercedes-Benz car, resulting in the arrest of three suspects.
In Ogun, four suspects were arrested with 68kg of skunk and 3.15kg of methamphetamine along the Ijebu-Ode expressway.
Taraba authorities nabbed Danjuma Tukura, 50, with 172kg of skunk at Sunkani area, while Wisdom Titus, 24, was caught with 84kg at Takum.
In Adamawa, NDLEA recovered 396,000 tramadol capsules from Ahmed Isyaku Nda, 50, at Aliyu Mustapha International Airport, Yola, and 785kg of skunk from a warehouse in Asob Maraba Karu, Nasarawa, belonging to a dealer still at large.
In Kwara, operatives intercepted a truck along Ilori-Jebba expressway carrying 197 blocks of skunk weighing 78.565kg and 155 cartons of rubber solutions, arresting driver Umar Yakubu.
A separate operation at Eiyenkonrin, Ilorin, led to the arrest of Ibrahim Bello after 20 blocks of skunk were found concealed in a 50-litre jerry can on a commercial bus.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
