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Wanted drug kingpin ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’ arrested 12 years after murder of 3 NDLEA officers

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. .as Agency recovers illicit drugs from his hideout, nabs ex-convict, female online vendor, others in Jigawa, Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Delta, Oyo, FCT, Enugu, Kwara raids

​Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have successfully apprehended a long-wanted drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as “Kanmo-kanmo”, ending a 12-year manhunt following his involvement in the brutal killing of three NDLEA officers.

​Kanmo-Kanmo, who is notorious for drug trafficking, evading arrest and mobilizing armed thugs against security agents was on Friday 16th January 2026 tracked to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State by tactical teams of the Agency following credible intelligence. During the clinical 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.

​Lekan Jimoh’s criminal history is marked by extreme violence and lawlessness. As a result, he had on 15th 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.
​In another encounter with Jimoh on 12th August 2023, when NDLEA operatives stormed his residence in Ado-Odo town, Ogun state, he 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, has since been finally 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. In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, operatives on Friday 16th January tracked and arrested a 44-year-old lady Yinka Agboola following intelligence on her online sale of illicit substances. At the time of her arrest, 2.2kg skunk and litres of cannabis oil which she produces in her kitchen and sells through online advertisement were recovered from her home at the Kaura district, Abuja.

Another suspect, Tordue Pius Richard, 30, was on Tuesday 13th January arrested with 148.3 grams of cocaine and skunk at his 12 Biskira street, Abacha Estate, Abuja home.

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While 118.1kg skunk was seized from the duo of Dauda Kareem and Saheed Obisesan at Fadeyi area of Mushin Lagos on Friday 16th January, not less than 116kg of same substance was recovered from a warehouse at new market area of Enugu, Enugu state same day.

Two suspects: Zaharadeen Yahaya, 25, and Sanusi Maman, 23, were on Thursday 15th January arrested by NDLEA operatives along Onitsha -Asaba expressway, Delta state, while conveying 410,800 pills of tramadol; 84.2 litres of codeine syrup; 82,250 tablets of diazepam; 900 tabs of swinol and 65 pills of Molly.

In Oyo state, Adetunji Ahmed Abayomi, 33, was nabbed on Thursday 15th January at Moniya, Ibadan, with 321 litres of skuchies, and 2.5kg Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, while Rasheed Ajao, 28, was caught same day at Odo-Ona, Ibadan, in possession of 5.4kg Scottish Loud; 1.696kg skunk and 2.5kg Colorado, bringing the total weight to 9.696 kilograms. In another raid at Agbeni area of the state capital, 52,430 pills of tramadol and bromazepam were recovered from the store of Orji Edwin, currently at large, on Saturday 17th January.

In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 13th January raided a residential building at Gamo area of Ilorin where they seized 42 bags of skunk that weighed 387.40kg, while a total of 157,519 bottles of codeine syrup were discovered in a container at the Apapa port in Lagos during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies on Friday 16th January.
An ex-convict, Gaddafi Ammani, 26, was arrested with various quantities of skunk and exol-5 pills along his accomplice ⁠Ahmed Sani, 32, at Nassarawa GRA, Ringim LGA Jigawa state on Saturday 17th January. Before Gaddafi’s arrest, he attempted to escape by
climbing the roofs of many houses in his bid to escape. He was armed with a machete which he used to threaten NDLEA operatives and even inflicted injury on one of the officers.

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Across all Commands and formations of the Agency nationwide, NDLEA officers continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Umar Bin Khathab Islamiyyah School, Kurna, Kano; Tumbey College, Kajola Maya, Ikorodu, Lagos; Anglican Secondary School, Makurdi, Benue; members of Katsina emirate, Katsina; and residents of Maitumbi community, Minna, Niger state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the Ogun, Lagos, Apapa, Edo, Delta, Oyo, FCT, Enugu, and Kwara Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) acknowledged their commitment and enjoined them as well as their colleagues nationwide to maintain the current tempo of their balanced approach to the Agency’s drug control efforts.
He described the arrest of Kanmo-kanmo as a triumph of justice and a testament to the Agency’s long memory, adding that the arrest sends a clear and unambiguous message to all drug barons and fugitives: “You may run, and you may hide for a season, but the long arm of the law will eventually find you.”

​“The arrest of Lekan Jimoh is particularly significant because it closes a painful chapter that began on June 15, 2014. For twelve years, this individual lived with the blood of our gallant officers—Rabiu Usman Kazaure and two others—on his hands. He mistakenly thought that time had erased his crimes. Today, we have proven that the NDLEA does not forget its own. We do not forget the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives in the service of our fatherland.

This arrest is for the families of those three officers who have waited 12 years for justice”, Marwa said in a tribute to the officers lost over a decade ago.

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Blackout hits Abuja, Nasarawa, AEDC explains

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Abuja Electricity Distribution Company has announced an electricity outage in parts of the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.

AEDC disclosed this in a notice on Wednesday.

The disco said the outage is due to a technical fault on the transmission company of Nigeria (TCN) 132kV Apo – Karu – line 1.

Consequently, bulk electricity supply has been disrupted in areas in Abuja and Nasarawa, including in Karu, Nyanya, Jikwoyi, Kurudu, Orozo, Karshi, Mararaba, Ado, New Nyanya, New Karu Uke, Masaka, Auta Balaifi, Keffi, Nasarawa Toto, Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon, and environs.

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The disco, however, assured electricity restoration.

“The technical team of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is currently working to restore power supply around 3:00 pm today, 10th June 2026.

“We regret the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding,” AEDC stated.

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Watch moment VP Shettima arrives at venue of commissioning of Arterial RN5 Obafemi Awolowo Way today

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Watch clip showing arrival of Vice President Kashim Shettima at the venue of the commissioning of the newly constructed Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) from Life Camp Junction to RR III, Dape District section.

#FCTProjects2026
#RenewedHopeFCT

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Red carpet reception for banned referee Artan on arrival in Somalia

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Referee Omar Artan has vowed to officiate at the 2030 World Cup after arriving home in Somalia following his ban from entering the United States.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Mogadishu Airport to give a warm welcome to Omar Artan.

Some in the crowd carried banners with supportive slogans while others wore specially made hats bearing pictures of the referee, who has quickly become an icon in his homeland.

There were also social media celebrities who posed for photos with Artan and live-streamed the welcome on their platforms.

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Amid the celebratory reception, there was also visible anger that the first Somali appointed as a World Cup referee had been denied entry to the United States.

The 34-year-old – Africa’s referee of the year in 2025 – was set to be the first Somali to referee at a World Cup finals but was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Monday despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single entry US visa.

No reason for his repatriation has been given by US immigration authorities, but Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump.

He arrived back in Somalia on Wednesday, landing at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu where he was greeted by government officials and representatives of the Somali Football Federation, as well as fellow referees and local residents.

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Artan is expected to attend a public event at Mogadishu Stadium later on Wednesday afternoon and watch a match between Heegan and Dekadaha.

“I’d like to thank the officials, ministers, MPs and everyone. I want to thank my country and people for their support. The encouragement I received here, I know I’ll get more support outside [the airport],” Artan said, translated into English by the BBC.

“Everything is pre-destined. Fifa supported me well and were in touch with me until I reached Mogadishu.

“I promise you that I’ll be officiating in the next World Cup. Somalia, everywhere, I’m letting you know.”

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Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football (Caf) men’s referee of the year in 2025, was one of 52 referees selected for the tournament.

However, his “dream” came crashing down as he attempted to travel to the on-pitch officials’ base in Florida, with Artan telling the New York Times, external he had faced an 11-hour immigration interview and was detained for several hours before be was put on a flight back to Istanbul, Turkey.

Speaking to BBC World Service, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, said: “While I can’t go into the derog [derogatory information] on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision.”

It was not possible for Artan to stay outside the United States and referee matches played in Canada or Mexico, with all on-pitch officials based in Florida for training, preparation, and security.

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Trump placed a full entry ban under any visa category for 12 countries, including Somalia, in June 2025.

Two days before the World Cup draw in December 2025, Trump drew widespread attention for comments made about Somalia in the lead up to a planned immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, which has a large Somali community.

“With Somalia, which is barely a country, you know, they have no anything,” he said.

“They just run around killing each other. There’s no structure.”

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He added that Somali immigrants should “go back to where they came from” and that the US would “go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage to our country”.

On arriving home, Artan urged Somalia’s youth not to lose hope in their country in the face of his treatment, stating: “Let’s all defend Somalia’s honour. We all belong to Somalia whether it’s bad or good.

“That flag is ours and so is the passport – let’s defend it.

“The youth shouldn’t be demoralised about their country. Despite this happening to me, I’ll still stand for my nation.

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“I want to continue my journey from here and urge the youth to do the same.”

For his part, Artan was very happy with the welcome he received. The determined look on his face backed up the statements he has made about continuing his career and he told friends that he is ready to start training right away.

After the press conference, he was given a grand farewell. Thousands more people are expected to greet him at the Mogadishu Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Another hero’s welcome is on the cards.

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