The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Edo State has re-arrested and arraigned a suspected drug trafficker, Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal, who allegedly skipped bail and was falsely declared dead by his wife in a bid to avoid prosecution.
According to the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, Lawal was initially arrested on February 5, 2022, at Ugbekun Junction in Esan Central Local Government Area while allegedly transporting banned psychotropic substances.
The agency said operatives recovered 0.257kg of Lexotan, 1kg of Diazepam, and 5.4kg of Phenobarbital concealed in a Toyota bus. He was later arraigned before the Federal High Court in Benin on charges relating to the unlawful transportation of controlled substances under the NDLEA Act.
Ofoyeju explained that although the suspect pleaded not guilty and was granted bail, he later absconded and stopped appearing in court.
The NDLEA further alleged that the suspect’s wife later submitted an affidavit claiming that Lawal died in October 2024 after suffering from tuberculosis and had been buried in Kogi State according to Islamic rites. However, investigations by the agency reportedly revealed that the suspect was still alive.
Acting on intelligence, NDLEA operatives tracked and re-arrested Lawal during a covert operation. He was subsequently re-arraigned before Justice B.O. Quadir of the Federal High Court in Benin, with the case adjourned until June 22, 2026, for further hearing.
The agency described the alleged false death claim as an attempt to obstruct justice and warned that anyone found to have participated in the scheme, including the suspect’s wife, could face prosecution.
The NDLEA also reaffirmed its commitment to tackling drug trafficking and urged the public to continue supporting law enforcement agencies with credible information.
