For many years, Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh, also known as Temo, seemed untouchable. He was the head of a powerful drug cartel in Mushin, Lagos. At 57 years old, he had managed to evade the authorities despite their efforts to capture him. However, his luck ran out when the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) finally arrested him. This happened after he and his gang initially resisted arrest in his stronghold.
For the past two years, the NDLEA has been seizing large amounts of drugs linked to Temo, worth billions of naira. Despite this, Temo managed to stay out of reach, with previous encounters between him and the NDLEA resulting in gunfights. Some notable recent drug seizures include 14,524.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a potent form of cannabis sativa, smuggled into Lagos from Ghana in two trucks and a J5 bus. This was intercepted in the early hours of Sunday, January 28, 2024, at Ojuelegba, Lagos. Additionally, two truckloads of the same substance, weighing 8,852kg, were intercepted at Eleko Beach, Lekki, Lagos, on May 4, 2023. Furthermore, 252kg of Loud was seized from Temo’s base in Mushin on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.
In the last two confrontations, Temo’s men engaged the NDLEA operatives in gunfights. Temo was notorious for constantly moving to avoid capture. However, the persistence and determination of the NDLEA, aided by modern tools and intelligence, paid off. On Monday, July 22, 2024, at 10 am, NDLEA surveillance teams tracked and cornered Temo on Igbarere Street, Mushin. The NDLEA quickly mobilized about 50 operatives to the area as Temo attempted to escape in a Mercedes Benz SUV GLE 350. His effort to mobilize his gang to create a distraction failed, and he was overpowered and captured. The operatives also recovered the SUV he was found in.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers and men of the Lagos State Command, Special Monitoring Task Force, and other formations involved in Temo’s arrest. He commended their resilience, vigilance, and professionalism. Marwa urged them to continue their efforts against drug cartels everywhere. He emphasized that the arrest of Temo was a clear message to others in the illegal drug trade. He warned that those who do not quit now will eventually be caught, as the NDLEA is closing in on them. He added, “They can run, but they can’t hide forever.”
