The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency announced on Wednesday the capture of Sulaiman Jimoh, alias Temo, the head of a major drug cartel operating out of Mushin, Lagos.
Jimoh had been on the agency’s wanted list and had successfully evaded arrest until now.
This arrest follows the recent apprehension of drug baron Joachin Mbonu, who was detained at his mansion in Imo State on July 12 after fleeing from South Africa.
In a statement, NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, detailed how Jimoh was captured at his hideout after initially resisting arrest alongside his associates.
“After many years of wearing the toga of invincibility, the overall head of the Mushin, Lagos drug cartel, 57-year-old Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh (alias Olowoidiogede, popularly known as Temo), has been arrested by operatives of the NDLEA, at his enclave after an initial resistance from him and his horde of hoodlums,” Babafemi stated.
Babafemi also mentioned that NDLEA operatives had previously seized drugs worth billions of naira from Jimoh.
He recounted that past encounters with Jimoh’s armed gang had resulted in fierce gun battles.
“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,” Babafemi noted.
Among the major drug seizures from Jimoh were 14,524.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a potent strain of cannabis sativa, smuggled from Ghana to Lagos, intercepted on January 28, 2024; two truckloads of the same substance weighing 8,852kg seized at Eleko beach, Lekki Lagos on May 4, 2023; and 252kg of Loud confiscated from his Mushin enclave on July 26, 2023.
Detailing the arrest operation, Babafemi explained that the NDLEA’s surveillance team tracked Jimoh to Igbarere Street in Mushin and apprehended him on July 22.
When Jimoh attempted to escape, a reinforcement of 50 operatives was called in to secure the area.
“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, 2024 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,” Babafemi stated.
Despite attempting to mobilize local hoodlums to create a diversion, Jimoh was ultimately overpowered and detained, while the operatives also secured the vehicle he was using.
“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 added.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), lauded the officers and personnel of the Lagos State Command, Special Monitoring Task Force, and other formations for their persistence and professionalism in apprehending Jimoh.
“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,” Babafemi said.
