NDLEA arrests suspected Lagos drug baron, Temo in Mushin

After years of eluding capture, the suspected head of the Mushin drug cartel in Lagos, 57-year-old Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh, widely known as Temo, has finally been apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The dramatic arrest took place at his stronghold after an initial confrontation with his loyalists.

Temo, who has long been a thorn in the side of law enforcement, was taken into custody on Monday, July 22, 2024.

The NDLEA’s persistent efforts, bolstered by modern surveillance tools and intelligence, culminated in this significant breakthrough. For years, Temo had managed to evade arrest despite the NDLEA intercepting large consignments of illicit drugs linked to him, valued at billions of naira.

The NDLEA’s recent seizures of Temo’s drug shipments include a staggering 14,524.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a potent strain of cannabis sativa, intercepted in Lagos on January 28, 2024.

This was followed by two truckloads of the same substance, weighing 8,852 kilograms, intercepted at Eleko Beach, Lekki, Lagos, on May 4, 2023, and another 252 kilograms seized from his Mushin enclave on July 26, 2023. These operations were not without danger, as Temo’s armed gangs often engaged NDLEA operatives in gunfights.

Temo’s arrest was the result of a meticulously planned operation. Surveillance teams had been trailing him and finally tracked him down to Igbarere Street, Mushin. As Temo attempted to escape in a Mercedes Benz SUV GLE 350, marked 01G-300G, a reinforcement of about 50 NDLEA operatives swiftly moved in. Despite his attempts to mobilize hoodlums to create a diversion, the operatives overpowered him and his men, recovering the SUV in the process.

In response to Temo’s arrest, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, praised the officers and men of the Lagos State Command, Special Monitoring Task Force, and other formations involved in the operation for their resilience, vigilance, and professionalism. “I’m particularly delighted because the arrest was eventually effected in his enclave without any casualty despite the attack on our men,” Marwa stated. He urged the officers to intensify their efforts against drug cartels, warning those still involved in the illicit drug trade that their time is running out.

“This is a clear message to others still involved in this criminal trade of illicit drugs that if they don’t opt out now, we’ll get them because we’re just steps away from their doorsteps, and more importantly, they can only run; they can’t hide forever,” Marwa emphasized.

The NDLEA’s successful operation against Temo marks a significant victory in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in Nigeria, showcasing the agency’s unwavering commitment to eradicating the drug menace from the society.