- Safiu Kehinde
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a long-wanted drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as “Kanmo-kanmo”, ending a 12-year manhunt following his alleged involvement in the brutal killing of three NDLEA officers.
Kanmo-Kanmo, who the NDLEA labelled a notorious drug trafficker, had over time evaded arrest and mobilized armed thugs against security agents.
As disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the suspect met his waterloo last week Friday as he was tracked to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State by tactical teams of the NDLEA following credible intelligence.
During the operation, the suspect was found in possession of 69 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis. The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the Agency’s commitment to ensuring that no fugitive, regardless of how long they evade justice, remains beyond the reach of the law.
According to Babafemi, Lekan Jimoh’s criminal history is marked by extreme violence and lawlessness.
He was alleged to have on the 15th of June 2014 orchestrated a barbaric mob action against a team of NDLEA officers who had attempted to arrest him at his enclave.
The attack resulted in the cold-blooded murder of three NDLEA officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure and two others, who were killed by armed thugs mobilized by Jimoh.
While the suspect managed to escape the scene that day, the agency remained resolute in its pursuit of justice for the fallen heroes as it again had another encounter with Jimoh on 12th August 2023, when NDLEA operatives stormed his residence in Ado-Odo town, Ogun state.
He however managed to escape while operatives succeeded in recovering 139 sacks of skunk with a total weight of 1,922 kilograms.
Following assets forfeiture proceedings instituted in court by the agency, the house in Ado-Odo, which served as a warehouse for his illicit drug trade, was forfeited to the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Edo state on Tuesday 13th January raided the Arokpa forest, Uzebba town, Owan West LGA, leading to the arrest of another drug lord, Isihor Edika, 53, and seizure of 320kg skunk and seeds.