In a no-nonsense operation that reads like something out of a thriller, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a massive bust: a suspected major drug lord, Frank “Chisco Bee” Ibemesi, was arrested in Lagos, while across the country — from Osun to Edo, Taraba to Kwara — agents seized more than 14,000 kg of skunk (a potent strain of cannabis) in coordinated raids.
The Man Behind the Name
Frank Chijioke Ibemesi — alias Chisco Bee, 42 — was arrested in the early hours of Saturday, November 15, 2025, at his own hotel, Daisy Garden Hotel, on Agbeke Street, Isolo, Lagos. According to NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Ibemesi isn’t just a hotelier — he runs Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig. Ltd. and allegedly uses his “legitimate” business as cover for his drug trade.
When agents moved in, they didn’t just find cash — they found a warehouse nearby on Pius Ezeobi Street, where a shocking 1,762.8 kg of “loud” (a strong strain of cannabis) was recovered, sealed inside 42 jumbo bags and four cartons. Babafemi added that agents also seized US$11,600, £2,000, €2,200, and 50 Canadian dollars from the suspect at the time of arrest.
The Osun Syndicate – Heavyweight Skunk Seizure
While Lagos was locking down Ibemesi, NDLEA operatives were tearing apart a major syndicate in Osun State. After days of surveillance, agents raided a drug hub hidden deep inside the Orita-Apeje, Araromi-Okeodo Forest Reserve in Ife South LGA on Tuesday, November 11. They seized an astonishing 11,135 kg of processed skunk.
Seven suspects were arrested during the operation: Lucky Abiodun, Julius Amos, Victor Ngbikili, Sunday Oduegwu, Ibrahim Akanni, Eze Godstime and Fred Ifeanyichukwu. Two trucks — a Volvo and a Mercedes — used for transportation were also confiscated.
Skunk Across the Map: Edo, Ogun, Taraba, Kwara, Adamawa
NDLEA’s nationwide sweep continued with multiple seizures:
Edo State
- 184.1 kg seized along Oza–Igbanke Road (Nov 13)
- 672 kg seized from Utese Forest (Nov 14)
- 494 kg found in a Mercedes-Benz on the Benin–Akure Road — Felix Edah, 45, arrested
- 552 kg seized in another operation — Lucky Abagha, 51, arrested
Ogun State
Four suspects — Michael Okoh, Offor Agada, Raphael Nkemjika and Nwabueze Franklin — were arrested along the Ijebu-Ode Expressway with 68 kg of skunk and 3.150 kg of methamphetamine.
Taraba State
Danjuma Tukura, 50, was arrested at Sunkani, Ardo-Kola LGA with 172 kg of skunk.
Adamawa State
At the Aliyu Mustapha International Airport, Yola, agents seized 396,000 tramadol capsules from Ahmed Isyaku Nda, 50, on Friday, Nov 14.
Nasarawa State
A warehouse in Asob Maraba Karu contained 785 kg of skunk. The owner is currently at large.
Kwara State
- NDLEA intercepted a truck (T-0262KT) carrying 197 blocks of skunk weighing 78.565 kg and 155 cartons of rubber solution — driver Umar Yakubu arrested.
- In another operation, a bus (KJA-657CY) was intercepted in Eiyenkorin, Ilorin, with 20 blocks of skunk hidden in a 50-litre jerrycan — driver Ibrahim Bello arrested.
Bigger Picture: NDLEA’s Unrelenting Pressure
These recent operations add to a long list of major NDLEA breakthroughs. Earlier in the year, the agency destroyed over 24,897 kg of cannabis plantations across Edo and Osun. In Abuja, officers intercepted a 40-ft trailer loaded with 2,217.6 kg of skunk. Weeks later, another coordinated raid shut down drug operations in seven states, resulting in over 15 arrests. The agency also destroyed over 24,146 kg of skunk found in Edo forests in September.
The pattern is clear: NDLEA is applying pressure everywhere — forests, highways, warehouses, airports, hotels. No territory is safe for traffickers anymore.
The Message on the Streets
The numbers don’t lie. These aren’t small-time pushers. These are organized networks with logistics, financing, and international connections. Frank “Chisco Bee” Ibemesi may be the latest big name to fall, but his arrest — combined with the thousands of kilograms seized across multiple states — sends a loud warning across the drug underworld.
The NDLEA is not slowing down. And the drug game in Nigeria just got riskier.