In a major breakthrough against international drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old fugitive, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had been on the wanted list of both Nigerian and British authorities for more than 15 years.
Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, during a coordinated operation by the agency’s Special Operations Unit.
His arrest brings to an end a prolonged manhunt spanning over a decade and a half, marked by repeated brushes with the law in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom over drug-related offences.
Ilomuanya was first arrested and convicted in the United Kingdom in February 2003 for drug trafficking. He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment but was released after serving two years following a successful appeal. In July 2011, he was arrested again in the UK on fresh drug-related charges. Although granted administrative bail, he absconded and fled to Nigeria.
In November 2018, NDLEA operatives arrested him after uncovering two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories — one in his hometown of Obinugwu in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, and another at his Lagos residence on Barrister Declan Uzoma Close. During the operation, officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine along with extensive production equipment. He was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos but jumped bail and went into hiding.
Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the development as a significant victory in the agency’s ongoing war against drug cartels.
“This arrest sends a clear message to those who believe they can evade justice by crossing borders,” Marwa said. “Whether you abscond in London or operate clandestine laboratories at home, the long arm of the law will ultimately catch up with you.”
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening intelligence-led operations and international collaboration to prevent Nigeria from serving as a safe haven for global drug traffickers.
Marwa also commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and persistence, stressing that the NDLEA remains resolute in dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.