The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea is seeking the extradition of a drug baron, 59-year-old Ogbonnaya Jeff, who has been on the run for over 17 years and arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Jeff, a key figure in an international drug trafficking ring, has long been a subject of international concern over his role in smuggling large quantities of narcotics into South Korea.
Following his deportation from South Korea in 2008 after serving a one-year jail term for drug offences, he continued his operations from Nigeria until his arrest by NDLEA operatives on February 12, 2025, at his hideout in Lagos.
The arrest followed years of collaboration between the NDLEA and the Korean authorities, including the issuance of an Interpol red notice.
The breakthrough came through a special operation by NDLEA’s elite Special Operations Unit.
A high-powered delegation from Korea’s NIS, led by Messrs. Choi Younkwan and Kim Juseok, during a courtesy visit to the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), on Wednesday in Abuja, delivered a letter of commendation from NIS Director, Taeyong Cho.
According to the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in the letter, the Korean intelligence chief described the arrest of Jeff as a “major success in our joint operation,” noting that without the NDLEA’s “invaluable cooperation, those long-standing efforts might have been in vain.
“Kevin Jeff was responsible for smuggling significant quantities of narcotics into the Republic of Korea. I am truly pleased that our two services have successfully carried out the first special cooperation, enabling us to bring him to justice,” Cho stated.
The Korean officials also used the occasion to formally request Jeff’s extradition to South Korea to face pending drug-related charges.
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Responding, Brig. Gen. Marwa thanked the Korean Government for its recognition and expressed the NDLEA’s readiness to deepen international cooperation in the global fight against drug trafficking.
“We are delighted to work with a reputable agency such as the NIS. You can always count on Nigeria as a reliable partner in the global effort to eradicate drug trafficking,” Marwa stated.
He assured the visiting delegation that their extradition request will be carefully reviewed in line with Nigerian laws and existing bilateral agreements between Nigeria and South Korea.
Marwa also expressed gratitude for the recent donation of operational equipment by the Korean Government to the NDLEA, noting that the tools would significantly enhance the agency’s capacity in its operations.
He expressed optimism about the potential for expanded collaboration, including opportunities for NDLEA officers to receive specialised training in Korea.
