By Deborah Nnamdi
A long-wanted drug suspect popularly known as “Kanmo-Kanmo” has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), 12 years after his alleged involvement in the killing of three NDLEA officers.
The suspect was apprehended on January 16, 2026, in Owode town, Ogun State, following intelligence-led operations by NDLEA tactical teams. His arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi said a search of the suspect’s hideout led to the recovery of 69 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect has been on its wanted list since June 15, 2014, when he allegedly mobilised armed thugs to attack NDLEA operatives who attempted to arrest him at his enclave. The attack reportedly resulted in the brutal killing of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure.
“Following his involvement in the killing of three NDLEA officers, Kanmo-Kanmo, who is notorious for drug trafficking, evading arrest and mobilising armed thugs against security agents, was on Friday, January 16, 2026, tracked to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State by tactical teams of the agency following credible intelligence,” the statement said.
Babafemi described the arrest as a major breakthrough, noting that it underscored the agency’s resolve to ensure that no fugitive remains beyond the reach of the law, regardless of how long they evade justice.
The NDLEA spokesman added that in a related operation on August 12, 2023, operatives raided the suspect’s residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, where 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilograms were recovered. The suspect escaped arrest at the time, while the property, which was used as a drug warehouse, was later forfeited to the Federal Government after court proceedings.
In separate operations across the country, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives in Edo State on January 13 raided Arokpa forest in Uzebba town, Owan West Local Government Area, arresting a 53-year-old suspect, Isihor Edika, and seizing 320 kilograms of skunk and cannabis seeds.
He also disclosed that in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, operatives arrested a 44-year-old woman, Yinka Agboola, in the Kaura District over the alleged online sale of illicit drugs. Items recovered from her residence included 2.2 kilograms of skunk and quantities of cannabis oil.
