The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced on Wednesday, July 24, that its operatives apprehended Sulaiman Jimoh, also known as Temo, the leader of a drug cartel in Mushin, Lagos State.
Temo, who had been sought by the agency, managed to evade arrest until he was captured.
His arrest follows the apprehension of Joachin Mbonu, a drug baron, in his mansion in Imo State on Friday, July 12, after fleeing South Africa.
According to the statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Wednesday, July 24, Temo was seized at his hideout after initially resisting arrest along with his accomplices.
Babafemi recalled that operatives of the NDLEA had seized drugs worth billions of naira from Temo.
He added that a few of the NDLEA operatives with Temo had resulted in fierce gun duels.
Babafemi said, “In the last two years, the NDLEA had intercepted large consignments of illicit drugs worth billions of naira owned by Temo but he has remained largely evasive, while a few encounters with him and his armed gangs in his Mushin enclave had resulted in gunfight.
“Some of the recent seizures of his shipments include: 14, 524.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a strong strain of cannabis sativa, smuggled into Lagos State from Ghana in two trucks and a J5 bus intercepted at Ojuelegba area of Lagos in the early hours of Sunday 28th January 2024; two truck-loads of the same substance weighing 8,852kg intercepted at Eleko beach, Lekki Lagos on 4th May 2023 and 252kg of Loud seized from his enclave in Mushin on Wednesday 26th July 2023.
“Indeed, in the last two encounters, his men engaged NDLEA operatives in a gunfight.”
Babafemi recounted that NDLEA’s surveillance team located Temo at Igbarere Street in Mushin and cornered him on Monday, July 22.
When Temo attempted to flee, the team swiftly called for backup, mobilizing 50 operatives to the scene.
“The drug kingpin was very notorious for always being on the move to evade arrest but with persistence and determination of the Agency aided by modern tools and intelligence, the concerted effort to get him paid off at 10 am on Monday, July 22, when NDLEA’s surveillance teams on his trail tracked and pinned him down at Igbarere street, Mushin.
“A reinforcement of about 50 operatives was immediately mobilized to the area while he was attempting to escape in a Mercedes Benz SUV GLE 350 marked 01G-300G.”
Seized Drugs
He said Temo attempted to mobilize hoodlums to engage and distract the operatives in order to facilitate his escape, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
“His attempt to escape by mobilizing hoodlums to engage and distract the operatives however failed after which he was overpowered and whisked away from the chaotic scene while his men surrendered to the superior firepower of the anti-narcotic agents who also succeeded in recovering the Mercedes Benz SUV the suspect was found in.”
Babafemi mentioned that Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, praised the officers and personnel of the Lagos State Command, Special Monitoring Task Force, and other units for their role in the arrest of Temo.
He said, “In his reaction to the arrest of Temo, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers and men of the Lagos State Command, Special Monitoring Task Force, and other formations tasked with the assignment of getting Temo arrested for their resilience, vigilance, and professionalism.
“He urged them to intensify the heat on all drug cartels wherever they are located.”
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