The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug baron, Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, who had been on the run for 17 years.
The 59-year-old suspect, wanted globally for his role in an international drug trafficking syndicate, was apprehended at his hideout in the Ojo area of Lagos.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, March 3, 2025.
He stated that Jeff’s arrest was made possible through a joint effort involving NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit, intelligence from the National Intelligence Service of South Korea, and an active Interpol Red Notice.
International Drug Trafficking Network
Marwa revealed that Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff had been the mastermind behind a major drug trafficking operation smuggling illicit substances into South Korea. Despite serving a one-year prison sentence in South Korea in 2007 and being deported in 2008, he continued his illegal trade. Investigations uncovered that he recruited young Nigerians as drug couriers and laundered proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods.
A search of his residence led to the recovery of multiple Nigerian passports with Korean visas and a stash of illicit substances hidden in a storehouse. Evidence also linked him to drug shipments worth over ₦1.4 billion sent to South Korea in recent years.
“Our records reveal that many Nigerians apprehended outside the country for drug-related offences were linked to him. Furthermore, we have established that he laundered drug proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods. Following his arrest, a search of his residence led to the recovery of multiple Nigerian international passports belonging to different individuals, many of which contained Korean visas. Additionally, we recovered some illicit substances in a storehouse at the back of his house”, Marwa said.
International Arrest Warrants
According to Marwa, Ogbonnaya’s illicit operations extended beyond Nigeria, with networks spread across Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia, and other African countries.
In January and June 2024, the Seoul Central District Court issued two arrest warrants against him for drug-related offences under South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
One of his documented drug shipments occurred on October 5, 2023, when he sent over 6kg of skunk concealed in dried chillies and jujube to a contact in South Korea.
His drug couriers were also found to have smuggled methamphetamine into South Korea between December 2023 and April 2024.
“Presently, he is wanted in the Republic of Korea for multiple drug trafficking offences in collaboration with his accomplices. An INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his arrest and extradition to the country for offences committed between 2023 and 2024. From a series of interdictions, it has been established that Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is the ringleader of a drug trafficking organisation responsible for smuggling narcotics into the Peoples Republic of Korea. He has been orchestrating operations remotely by giving instructions to drug mules and domestic suppliers who are members of his syndicate spread across Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia and other East and Southern African countries,” he said.
NDLEA’s Commitment to Drug Control
Marwa reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to ensuring Nigeria does not become a safe haven for drug traffickers.
“The arrest of Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is a significant milestone in our fight against drug trafficking. We will continue to collaborate with international partners to dismantle drug syndicates and prevent Nigeria from being a hub for illicit substances”, Marwa stated.
