‘Kanmo-Kanmo’s’ arrest by NDLEA 12 years after he murdered three of its officers shows criminals cannot escape forever if security agencies are determined to catch them
For the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the arrest of a long-wanted drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as “Kanmo-Kanmo”, on January 16, at his hideout in Owode, Ogun State, following credible intelligence, marked another significant achievement in the annals of the anti-drug agency. The NDLEA has been hunting for Jimoh for about 12 years, over the brutal killing of three NDLEA officers.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that “Kanmo-Kanmo’, who is notorious for drug trafficking, had been evading arrests.”
And, rather than submit himself to the security agencies after the alleged murder of the three personnel, he had been mobilising armed thugs against security agents that were on his trail.
“He was tracked to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State, by tactical teams of the agency, following credible intelligence. During the clinical operation, the suspect was found in possession of 69 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.’’
As Babafemi noted, “The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the agency’s commitment to ensuring that no fugitive, regardless of how long they evade justice, remains beyond the reach of the law.”
It shows that no matter how long it takes, the long arm of the law is never too short to catch up with any criminal. The important thing is for the government agency responsible for the manhunt to show the political will and the resilience to arrest the criminal or suspect. This was what happened in the ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’ matter.
We commend the NDLEA for Jimoh’s arrest.
Although he remains a suspect because he has not been convicted by any court of law; but then, he has not helped his cause. If he had no skeleton in his cupboard, why has he been hiding these past 12 years? He would have to explain this when he is eventually arraigned in court.
As it is with any other law enforcement agency, it is an offence to obstruct their personnel from performing their duties. It is even more serious when such officers are murdered in the line of duty; the perpetrators are supposed to be arrested and prosecuted. But it is not all the time that the agencies do this, thereby giving the suspects more opportunities to commit more crimes.
So, now that ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’ has been arrested, we expect that he would be prosecuted so that he would be served his due comeuppance, if eventually convicted.
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NDLEA plays a crucial role in the country, especially in combating drug crime, seizing narcotics, arresting traffickers, and disrupting drug networks, to protect the public from substance abuse. This is especially so with the high rate of banditry and terrorism in the country. There is no doubt that the agency has been performing these functions well, particularly since the assumption of office of General Buba Marwa as its chairman and chief executive officer in January, 2021.
Many record-breaking seizures have been recorded since then. Indeed, the NDLEA boss has proved with his successes at the agency that his achievements as Military Administrator of Lagos State were not a fluke. Under Marwa’s watch, the agency had arrested no fewer than 77,792 drug offenders, including 128 drug barons, and seized about 14,847,000 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs.
These achievements, no doubt, were the result of his reforms at the NDLEA and they have significantly disrupted both local and transnational drug supply chains.
Drug Czars are rich and they could bribe their way through any system. That Marwa has so far not fallen to their temptation is something to celebrate in him and his officers.
If other security agencies could follow this path of pursuing whoever kills their men on duty without relenting until such persons are caught and brought to book, the country would be better for all. This should be the lesson from the NDLEA’s 12-year manhunt for ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’. They never relented until he was arrested.
