The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confirmed the arrest of Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh, alias Olowoidiogede, popularly known as Temo, a 57-year-old drug kingpin and the overall head of the Mushin drug cartel in Lagos State.
Temo’s arrest on Monday, July 22, 2024, at his enclave in Igbarere street, Mushin, marked the end of a two-year cat-and-mouse game between him and the NDLEA.
The agency’s operatives had been tracking him since 2022, during which time they intercepted several large consignments of illicit drugs worth billions of naira owned by Temo.
Despite his notoriety, Temo had managed to evade arrest, often engaging NDLEA operatives in gunfights.
However, on Monday, a team of about 50 operatives mobilized to his location, and after a brief resistance, he was overpowered and whisked away.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men involved in the operation for their resilience, vigilance, and professionalism.
He urged them to intensify the heat on all drug cartels, stating, “I’m particularly delighted because the arrest was eventually effected in his enclave without any casualty despite the attack on our men. This is therefore 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.”
Temo’s arrest is a significant milestone in the NDLEA’s efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.
His cartel was reportedly responsible for distributing large quantities of illicit drugs, including cannabis sativa, in Lagos and beyond.