Maha Christopher
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has re arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal, who allegedly jumped bail and was falsely declared dead by his wife in an affidavit submitted to a Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State.
According to The Punch, 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 on May 26, 2026, after investigations revealed that he was still alive.
Ofoyeju said Lawal, 50, was first arrested on February 5, 2022, at Ugbekun Junction in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State while transporting psychotropic substances.
The suspect was reportedly found with 0.257kg of Lexotan, 1kg of Diazepam, and 5.4kg of Phenobarbital concealed inside a white Toyota bus with registration number Abuja BWR 401 XC.
He was later arraigned before the court on charges bordering on unlawful transportation of controlled substances under the NDLEA Act.
After pleading not guilty, Lawal was granted bail but later absconded and failed to appear for trial.
The agency alleged that in an attempt to evade prosecution, the suspect’s wife, identified as Ibrahim Nana Hawa, submitted an affidavit in October 2024 claiming that her husband died on October 3, 2024, after battling tuberculosis.
The affidavit also claimed that the suspect had been buried according to Islamic rites in Kogi State.
“Our operatives, working on an intelligence report, uncovered the truth that Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal was very much alive. He was recently apprehended in a covert operation and taken into custody,” Ofoyeju said.
“He had earlier jumped bail and his wife fraudulently submitted an affidavit claiming he had died.”
The NDLEA said the suspect was re arraigned before Justice B.O. Quadir of the Federal High Court in Benin, while the case was adjourned till June 22, 2026, for further hearing.
Ofoyeju described the false death claim as an attempt to obstruct justice and warned that all those involved in the alleged scheme, including the suspect’s wife, could face sanctions.
