Court Remands Drug Suspect Allegedly Declared Dead by Wife

Court Remands Drug Suspect Allegedly Declared Dead by Wife
Wife Allegedly Filed Fake Death Affidavit
NDLEA Says Drug Suspect Allegedly Used Fake Death Story to Evade Justice

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, has re-arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal, who allegedly jumped bail and was falsely declared dead by his wife in an attempt to evade prosecution.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this on Tuesday, saying the suspect was brought before the Federal High Court in Benin after operatives discovered he was still alive despite claims of his death.

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According to Ofoyeju, Lawal, 50, was initially arrested on February 5, 2022, at Ugbekun Junction in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State while transporting different psychotropic substances.

He said the suspect was allegedly caught with 0.257kg of Lexotan, 1kg of Diazepam, and 5.4kg of Phenobarbital concealed inside a white Toyota bus with registration number BWR 401 XC Abuja.

The NDLEA boss explained that Lawal was later charged before the Federal High Court on a three-count charge bordering on unlawful transportation of controlled substances contrary to the NDLEA Act.

Although the suspect pleaded not guilty and was granted bail, he later disappeared and failed to appear in court for trial.

Ofoyeju revealed that in what appeared to be an effort to frustrate the prosecution, the suspect’s wife, identified as Ibrahim Nana Hawa, allegedly submitted an affidavit claiming that her husband died on October 3, 2024, after suffering from tuberculosis.

The affidavit reportedly stated that the suspect had been buried according to Islamic rites in Kogi State.

However, the NDLEA said intelligence reports later revealed that the suspect was still alive.

“Our operatives acted on credible intelligence and discovered that Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal was very much alive. He was subsequently tracked and arrested during a covert operation,” Ofoyeju said.

He added that the suspect was re-arraigned before Justice B.O. Quadir of the Federal High Court, Benin, while the matter was adjourned till June 22, 2026, for further hearing.

The NDLEA commander described the alleged fake death claim as a serious attempt to obstruct justice, warning that anyone found to have participated in the scheme could also face prosecution.

“The use of a false death affidavit to evade prosecution is a serious offence, and the command will ensure all parties involved are brought to justice,” he stated.

Ofoyeju also commended NDLEA operatives in Edo and Kogi states for their efforts in tracking down the suspect, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to fighting drug trafficking across the country.