The End of a Drug Empire
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has finally brought down one of Nigeria’s most wanted drug barons, Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, after a 17-year manhunt. The 59-year-old kingpin, who operated an international drug trafficking syndicate, was arrested at his hideout in the Ojo area of Lagos. NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) revealed the details of the operation during a press briefing in Abuja, marking a significant victory in the fight against drug trafficking.
The Arrest: A Long-Awaited Breakthrough
Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff’s arrest on February 12, 2025, was the culmination of years of intelligence gathering and international collaboration. Acting on an Interpol red notice and information from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, NDLEA operatives tracked Jeff to his Lagos hideout. A search of his residence uncovered multiple Nigerian passports with Korean visas, illicit substances, and evidence of his global drug operations.
Marwa described the arrest as a “significant breakthrough” in dismantling drug trafficking networks. “Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is not a typical domestic drug baron; he is an international trafficker operating both from Nigeria and abroad,” Marwa stated. “His dossier indicates that he served a one-year prison sentence in South Korea in 2007 and was deported to Nigeria in 2008. Despite this, he continued his illicit trade, remaining actively involved in drug trafficking operations to the Far East.”
The Syndicate: A Global Network
Jeff’s drug empire spanned multiple continents, with operations in Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia, and other African countries. He recruited young Nigerians as drug couriers, sending them to South Korea with narcotics concealed in everyday items like dried chillies and jujube. Between 2023 and 2024 alone, Jeff’s syndicate smuggled drugs worth over ₦1.4 billion into South Korea.
Marwa detailed one of Jeff’s operations: “On October 5, 2023, at a location in Burkina Faso, the suspect dispatched 6,051.06 grams of skunk, concealed in dried chillies and jujube, to a Korean, Kim Dong Wook, in South Korea. The package arrived at Incheon Airport on October 19, 2023, via Air France.”
Legal Consequences: Facing Justice
Jeff is currently wanted in South Korea for multiple drug trafficking offences. Two arrest warrants have been issued against him by the Seoul Central District Court, charging him with violating South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The NDLEA is working with international partners to ensure Jeff faces justice for his crimes.
NDLEA’s Commitment: A Message to Drug Barons
Marwa emphasized the NDLEA’s determination to root out drug trafficking networks and their financiers. “We will continue our relentless fight against illicit drug networks and their financiers, in line with our mandate to safeguard public health and national security,” he said. “The arrest of Ogbonnaya is an affirmation of our resolve to work with our international partners to ensure no drug baron finds Nigeria a comfort zone to distribute illicit substances within the country or traffic them to other countries.”
What’s Next?
The arrest of Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is a major milestone in the NDLEA’s efforts to combat drug trafficking. However, the fight is far from over. The agency remains committed to dismantling other drug syndicates and ensuring that Nigeria is not used as a hub for international drug operations. Jeff’s arrest sends a clear message to drug barons: no one is beyond the reach of the law.
