After years of evading capture and operating under a veil of invincibility, the notorious head of the Mushin, Lagos drug cartel, 57-year-old Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh—known widely as Temo and by his alias Olowoidiogede—has finally been apprehended. His arrest marks a significant victory for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and a blow to the extensive drug network he controlled.
Temo’s capture did not come easily. For the past two years, the NDLEA had been intercepting massive shipments of illicit drugs linked to him, with seizures amounting to billions of naira. Despite these efforts, Temo managed to remain elusive, often resulting in violent confrontations between his armed gangs and NDLEA operatives within his fortified Mushin enclave.
Among the significant seizures attributed to Temo were 14,524.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a potent strain of cannabis sativa. This consignment was smuggled into Lagos from Ghana in two trucks and a J5 bus, which NDLEA operatives intercepted in the early hours of January 28, 2024, at Ojuelegba, Lagos.
Another major interception occurred on May 4, 2023, when two truckloads of the same substance, weighing 8,852 kilograms, were seized at Eleko Beach, Lekki, Lagos. More recently, on July 26, 2023, NDLEA agents confiscated 252 kilograms of Loud from Temo’s stronghold in Mushin. These operations often ended in gunfights, with Temo’s men fiercely resisting the authorities.
Temo’s notoriety was partly due to his constant movement, which helped him evade capture. However, the relentless pursuit by the NDLEA, bolstered by advanced surveillance tools and intelligence, finally paid off. On Monday, July 22, 2024, at around 10 am,
NDLEA surveillance teams successfully tracked and cornered Temo on Igbarere Street in Mushin. Sensing the imminent danger, the NDLEA quickly mobilized a reinforcement team of about 50 operatives to the scene. Temo, attempting to flee in a Mercedes Benz SUV GLE 350 with the license plate 01G-300G, tried to orchestrate a distraction by mobilizing local hoodlums. However, his efforts were thwarted as the NDLEA operatives overpowered his men, leading to his capture and the seizure of the SUV.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, praised the officers and operatives of the Lagos State Command, Special Monitoring Task Force, and other formations involved in the operation. He commended their resilience, vigilance, and professionalism in executing the arrest without any casualties, despite the aggressive resistance faced.
In his statement, Marwa emphasized the significance of Temo’s arrest as a stern warning to other individuals involved in the illicit drug trade. He stated, “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.”
The arrest of Temo marks a critical milestone in the NDLEA’s ongoing battle against drug trafficking in Nigeria. It underscores the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug cartels and apprehending their leaders, regardless of their influence or attempts to evade justice. As the NDLEA continues to intensify its operations, the message is clear: no one involved in the drug trade is beyond reach.
