In a sweeping crackdown that signals a new level of resolve in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested notorious drug baron Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, alias Chisco Bee, and seized over 14 metric tons of cannabis (skunk) across multiple states.
Ibemesi, 42, who operated under the guise of a businessman and hotelier, was apprehended at his Daisy Garden Hotel in Isolo, Lagos, following weeks of precision intelligence. Authorities recovered 42 jumbo bags and four cartons of Loud cannabis (1,762.8 kg), along with large sums of foreign currency. The arrest dismantled one of the most audacious operations supplying cannabis nationwide.
In a parallel strike, NDLEA operatives foiled an attempt to transport 11,135 kg of skunk from Osun State’s Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve, arresting seven suspects and seizing two trucks loaded with the illicit cargo. Across Edo, Taraba, Kwara, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Lagos, and Ogun states, the agency continued its nationwide operations, recovering hundreds of kilograms of cannabis, methamphetamine, and hundreds of thousands of tramadol capsules, while apprehending multiple suspects.
These coordinated operations underscore NDLEA’s intensified strategy to dismantle organized drug syndicates operating under corporate and legitimate business fronts. Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), NDLEA Chairman, applauded the field teams for their persistence and emphasized the agency’s dual approach: strict enforcement combined with community sensitization to curb drug abuse at the grassroots.
“The arrest of Ibemesi and the seizures across six states is more than a tactical victory—it is a statement to all criminal networks that illegal drug operations will no longer find safe haven in Nigeria,” Marwa said.
With this operation, the NDLEA has not only disrupted supply chains worth millions but also reaffirmed the government’s determination to reclaim public spaces, safeguard youth, and dismantle entrenched criminal networks threatening national security.