Finally, NDLEA Arrests UK-Wanted Drug Kingpin After 15 Years Manhunt
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old fugitive drug trafficker, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had been on the wanted list of Nigerian and United Kingdom authorities for more than 15 years.
Ilomuanya was apprehended on Monday, February 23, 2026, in Lagos during a meticulously coordinated operation carried out by the Agency’s Special Operations Unit. His arrest marks the end of a prolonged manhunt spanning over a decade and a half.
According to the Agency, Ilomuanya has a long history of involvement in international narcotics trafficking across Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He was first arrested and convicted in the UK in February 2003 for drug trafficking and sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment. However, he was released after serving two years following a successful appeal.
Undeterred, he was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 on fresh drug-related charges. Though granted administrative bail, he absconded and fled to Nigeria.
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In November 2018, NDLEA operatives arrested him in Nigeria after uncovering two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories—one located in his country home in Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, and another at his residence on Barrister Declan Uzoma Close in Lagos. During the operation, officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine along with extensive drug production equipment.
He was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos but jumped bail and remained at large until his latest arrest.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the Agency’s sustained offensive against drug trafficking syndicates.
“This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who believe they can evade justice by crossing borders or absconding from bail,” Marwa said. “Whether you jump bail in London or establish clandestine laboratories in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will ultimately catch up with you. We are resolute in protecting the health, security, and future of our nation.”
He reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to strengthening intelligence-driven operations and deepening international collaboration to ensure that Nigeria does not serve as a haven for global drug cartels.
Marwa also commended officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism, resilience, and diligence in tracking and apprehending the fugitive, emphasizing that the Agency remains steadfast in dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
