By Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Uzoma Ilomuanya Valentine, in Lagos, ending what authorities described as a long-running evasion of justice spanning Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the suspect was apprehended on Monday, 23 February 2026, during what officials termed a “high-stakes well-coordinated operation” carried out by officers of a Special Operations Unit.
The Agency said Ilomuanya has a history of drug-related offences across multiple jurisdictions. He was first arrested in February 2003 in the United Kingdom, where he was convicted for drug trafficking and sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment. He was, however, released after serving two years following an appeal.
NDLEA further disclosed that he was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 for drug-related offences. Though granted administrative bail, he allegedly absconded and fled to Nigeria.
In November 2018, operatives of the Agency reportedly arrested him in Nigeria after uncovering two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories: one in his Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area residence in Imo State and another at his Lagos home. Officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine along with production equipment.
He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos but allegedly jumped bail and had remained at large until his recent arrest.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the Agency’s sustained crackdown on drug cartels.
“This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice,” Marwa said. “Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.”
He added that the Agency would continue to strengthen intelligence-led operations and international collaboration to ensure that Nigeria does not serve as a haven for drug traffickers.
Marwa also commended officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism and resilience in tracking down the suspect, reaffirming the Agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within the country.
