NDLEA Arrests Notorious Drug Lord After 15 Years on Run

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested 58-year-old Uzoma Valentin Ilomuanya, a notorious drug lord wanted in the United Kingdom for 15 years. Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on February 23, 2026, following a high-stakes operation by the agency's special operations unit.

His criminal history includes a conviction in the UK in February 2003 for drug trafficking, for which he was sentenced to nine years but was released after two years upon appeal. He fled Nigeria in July 2011 after jumping bail.

In November 2018, he was arrested in Nigeria after the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in Obinugwu, Orlu LGA, Imo State. The NDLEA recovered 77,960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment.

Following this operation, Ilomuanya faced charges in a federal high court in Lagos but jumped bail again. NDLEA Chairman Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa described the arrest as a significant breakthrough in the agency's efforts against drug cartels.