NDLEA Chairman Marwa assures the world of Nigeria’s commitment to the drug war and thanks Korea for equipment after arresting a wanted drug baron

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has assured the international community of Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the global fight against illicit drug trafficking.

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Marwa’s assurance came on Wednesday during a courtesy visit from a delegation of the National Intelligence Service of the Republic of Korea (NIS).

The Korean delegation commended the NDLEA for its exceptional professionalism and effectiveness in the recent apprehension of a wanted 59-year-old drug baron, Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff.

Ogbonnaya had evaded authorities for 17 years, orchestrating the shipment of illicit drugs worth billions of naira across the globe until his arrest by NDLEA operatives in Lagos in February.

Ogbonnaya had been a significant concern for Korean authorities due to the persistent flow of illicit drugs linked to him into South Korea.

This led to an Interpol red notice against him, and the NIS sought the NDLEA’s assistance in tracking and arresting him.

He had previously served a one-year prison sentence in Korea for drug offences in 2007 before being deported to Nigeria in 2008.

After an extensive pursuit, NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit apprehended him on Wednesday, February 12th, 2025, at his hideout in Lagos.

Expressing their satisfaction with this significant breakthrough, the Korean Intelligence Service delegation, comprising Messrs Choi Younkwan and Kim Juseok, delivered a letter of appreciation from the Director of NIS, Taeyong Cho, to Brig Gen Marwa.

In his letter, Director Cho conveyed his gratitude for Marwa’s support and the NDLEA’s “exceptional cooperation during our recent joint operation, which led to the arrest of Kevin Jeff, a key figure in an international drug organization.”

The Korean Intelligence chief stated that “Kevin Jeff was responsible for smuggling significant quantities of narcotics into the Republic of Korea, and the NIS had been tracking him for years. I am truly pleased that our two services have successfully carried out the first special cooperation, enabling us to bring him to justice. Without the NDLEA’s invaluable cooperation, those long-standing efforts might have been in vain.”

He further expressed his anticipation for a strengthened collaboration between the two agencies in the ongoing fight against drug-related crimes. The NIS delegation also formally requested the extradition of Ogbonnaya to South Korea to face pending drug charges.

In his response, Brig Gen Marwa expressed his appreciation for the Korean commendation and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the global drug war.

“We’re delighted to partner with you and be of service to you because your Service has a long history of professionalism. We want to give the assurance that at any time, you can count on us to work together with you towards a drug-free world,” the NDLEA boss affirmed.

He also thanked the Korean government for their generous donation of equipment to the Agency, stating that these resources “will be of tremendous help to us as we continue to execute our job of keeping Nigeria and the world safe from drug traffickers.”

Marwa assured the delegation that he would carefully consider their extradition request, operating within the bounds of Nigerian law and existing bilateral agreements between the two nations.

Also read: NDLEA arrests Thai woman, foils multiple drug smuggling attempts across Nigeria

He also expressed hope for future training opportunities for NDLEA officers at Korean Intelligence training institutions as part of their evolving partnership.