Festus Ibewuike, also known as Chidibest Ibewuike, has been arrested and repatriated to Nigeria after evading law enforcement for more than two years following the seizure of 49.70kg of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) described the arrest as a major breakthrough in its efforts to track down suspects linked to the country’s largest recorded heroin consignment intercepted at the Lagos airport.
Ibewuike, 52, had reportedly relocated to Mozambique, where he operated a hotel business as a cover while allegedly continuing to evade arrest.
Festus Ibewuike Linked to Record 49.70kg Heroin Seizure
According to the NDLEA, Ibewuike was one of three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia after operatives of the Agency’s MMIA Strategic Command intercepted 49.70kg of heroin in February 2024.
The drugs were concealed inside cartons of metal-cutting machines at the Import Shed of the airport’s cargo terminal.
The coordinated 12-day operation resulted in the arrest of key members of the alleged trafficking syndicate, including Ibewuike’s wife, Confidence Ndidiamaka Ibewuike, who allegedly received drug-laden parcels marked with the code “ND” on his behalf.
The operation also led to the freezing of 107 bank accounts and the forfeiture of properties allegedly linked to the cartel.
NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspects were subsequently charged before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, in charge number FHC/L/205C/2024.
Babafemi said three suspects have so far been convicted and sentenced by the court: Adinnu Felix Chinedu, Osita Emmanuel Obinna and Uzochukwu Frankline.
Three other suspects — Chidiebere Reginald Peter, Ibewuike Ndidiamaka Confidence and Igbokwuputa Onyinye Ireene — are still standing trial.
Three additional suspects, including Festus Ibewuike, were charged in absentia.
The other two suspects charged in absentia were identified as Osita Chidozie Cyril and Arinze.
The NDLEA said Festus Ibewuike remained a fugitive for more than two years, moving between Mozambique and Nigeria through neighbouring Benin Republic in an alleged attempt to evade Nigerian authorities.
His run from justice ended after actionable intelligence led to his arrest at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The NDLEA said it worked with INTERPOL authorities in Nigeria and Benin Republic to facilitate his transfer.
A team of NDLEA operatives was deployed to Cotonou on Friday, September 4, to take custody of Ibewuike before conveying him back to Nigeria.
He has since been returned to the country to answer questions over his alleged role in the trafficking syndicate.
During preliminary interviews, Ibewuike reportedly confirmed his identity and disclosed that he had changed his name from Chidibest Ibewuike to Festus Ibewuike.
On Saturday, September 5, 2026, he was taken to the NDLEA Central Exhibit Store in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he formally identified the heroin parcels bearing the “ND” code, which the Agency said had been linked to him.
The development provided investigators with another opportunity to establish the alleged connection between Ibewuike and the intercepted consignment.
Festus Ibewuike Previously Linked to Drug Case
Further investigation, according to the NDLEA, showed that Festus Ibewuike had previously been associated with another drug-related case before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The case, numbered FHC/L/203C/2013, involved the seizure of 40.255kg of methamphetamine and was presided over by Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari.
The NDLEA said the case involved one Chidi Ihedioha, who was subsequently convicted by the court in 2023.
Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), described the development as a major breakthrough in the Agency’s efforts to apprehend fleeing drug kingpins.
Marwa said the arrest demonstrated that suspects who flee Nigeria cannot permanently escape law enforcement.
“This arrest is a major breakthrough in our resolve to track down and bring to justice every drug baron who thinks that fleeing Nigeria’s shores puts them beyond the reach of the law,” Marwa said.
He added that Ibewuike had spent more than two years hiding abroad and changing his name, but had now returned to Nigeria to answer for the 49.70kg heroin seizure allegedly linked to his network.
The NDLEA chairman also warned other suspects still at large that the Agency would continue its pursuit until they are brought to justice.
Marwa commended the multinational cooperation that facilitated Ibewuike’s arrest and transfer to Nigeria.
He specifically praised the Nigerian and Beninese INTERPOL National Central Bureaus for their roles in ensuring a smooth transfer of custody.
The arrest of Festus Ibewuike marks another significant development in the NDLEA’s investigation into the 49.70kg heroin seizure and its broader efforts to dismantle international drug trafficking networks operating across Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
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