NDLEA captures drug kingpin Reginald Chidiebere after 13 years in hiding following seizures of cocaine, heroin, and other narcotics

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has taken into custody Reginald Peter Chidiebere, a notorious drug kingpin, following 13 years on the run.

The arrest came after large consignments of cocaine and heroin linked to him were seized at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

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Chidiebere, first apprehended in 2013 for cocaine trafficking, jumped bail and evaded authorities until recent operations revealed his involvement in multiple high-profile drug shipments.

In February 2024, NDLEA intercepted 49.70 kilograms of heroin imported from South Africa, implicating Chidiebere as a key orchestrator.

Further raids on February 19, 2024, at his Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites in Lagos led to the recovery of 2.20 kilograms of heroin from a guest, prompting Chidiebere to go underground.

NDLEA later froze his bank accounts and secured the interim forfeiture of his hotel.

Chidiebere surrendered to NDLEA on February 13, 2026, and now faces pending charges from 2013 alongside new allegations tied to the 2024 heroin shipments.

The agency also reported recent nationwide operations, including the dismantling of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Imo State, and the seizure of thousands of pills, cannabis, and codeine syrups in Lagos, Kano, Taraba, Katsina, and Borno States.

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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), commended officers for balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction initiatives, underscoring the agency’s commitment to combating illicit narcotics.