November 16, (THEWILL) — Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a wanted drug baron, Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, popularly known as Chisco Bee, following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
The 42-year-old suspect, who reportedly ran his operations under the guise of a businessman and hotelier, was apprehended in the early hours of Saturday, November 15, 2025, at his Daisy Garden Hotel located on Agbeke Street, Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Lagos.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Spokesperson, in a statement on Sunday, said Ibemesi, the Managing Director and CEO of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nigeria Ltd, was immediately taken to one of his warehouses situated at Pius Ezeobi Street, Isolo, where operatives recovered 42 jumbo bags and four cartons of loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing a total of 1,762.8 kilograms.
The agency also seized foreign currencies from the suspect, including $11,600, £2,000, €2,200, and CAD 50, all found in cash at the point of arrest.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives successfully intercepted a massive drug syndicate operating in the Orita-Apeje, Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State. A total of 11,135 kilograms of processed skunk, concealed for distribution across the country, was seized on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Two trucks used to convey the illicit cargo—a Volvo truck (WWR 29 XA) and a Mercedes truck (AWK 713 YZ)—were confiscated, while seven suspects, including Lucky Abiodun, Julius Amos, Victor Ngbikili, Sunday Oduegwu, Ibrahim Akanni, Eze Godstime, and Fred Ifeanyichukwu, were arrested.
Further operations across Edo State led to the recovery of 1,902.1 kilograms of skunk between November 13 and 14. NDLEA teams seized 184.1 kilograms along Oza/Igbanke Road in Orhionmwon LGA, evacuated 672 kilograms from Utese Forest in Ovia North East, and intercepted two Mercedes-Benz vehicles loaded with 494 kilograms and 552 kilograms respectively, leading to the arrests of Felix Edah, 45, and Lucky Abagha, 51.
In Ogun State, four suspects—Micheal Okoh, Offor Agada, Raphael Nkemjika and Nwabueze Franklin—were arrested along the Ijebu-Ode expressway with 68 kilograms of skunk and 3.150 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Taraba State apprehended 50-year-old Danjuma Tukura with 172 kilograms of skunk in Sunkani, Ardo Kola LGA, and arrested a 24-year-old suspect, Wisdom Titus, with 84 kilograms of the same substance in Takum.
More seizures were recorded in Adamawa and Nasarawa States, where NDLEA recovered 396,000 capsules of tramadol from a suspect, Ahmed Isyaku Nda, at Aliyu Mustapha International Airport, Yola, and evacuated 785 kilograms of skunk from a warehouse in Asob Maraba Karu. In Lagos, two suspects—Jamiu Kunle Kardoso and Oriyomi Waliu—were arrested with 130 pouches of Canadian loud weighing 65.150 kilograms. At the same time, Taofeek Moraina was caught transporting 282 blocks of Ghana loud weighing 141 kilograms.
Kwara State also recorded major interceptions with the seizure of 197 blocks of skunk weighing 78.565 kilograms and 155 cartons of rubber solutions from a truck intercepted along the Ilorin–Jebba expressway, leading to the arrest of the driver, Umar Yakubu. Another suspect, Ibrahim Bello, was apprehended at Eiyenkonrin, Ilorin, after NDLEA discovered 20 blocks of skunk hidden in a 50-litre jerrycan inside a commercial bus.
The agency also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign nationwide, conducting sensitisation programmes in secondary schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities. Beneficiary institutions include Government Day Secondary School, Birnin Ruwa, Zamfara; Holy Ghost Secondary School, Abakaliki; Government Science Technical School, Ringim; City Girls Secondary School, Enugu; Randle Junior Secondary School, Lagos; and Anglican Girls Grammar School, Obalende, among others.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit and the various state commands for their successful operations. He encouraged them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control, combining enforcement with robust public education through the WADA initiative.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
