A Nigeria national based in Thailand, Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, has been rearrested by security operatives after allegedly absconding from an ongoing trial over a drug trafficking case.
Reports from Thai media indicated that Nuzbech was taken into custody on January 14 following intelligence reports that led officers to his location.
He was initially arrested in March 2025 after allegedly selling 25.71 grams of cocaine to an undercover police officer in the Koh Pha Ngan area.
The suspect was later granted bail pending trial but was said to have failed to honour court summons, prompting a manhunt by law enforcement authorities.
Investigators alleged that Nuzbech went into hiding after jumping bail and continued to trade in hard drugs across parts of Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan.
During his second arrest, police reportedly recovered suspected cocaine, cash, and a mobile phone believed to contain evidence of drug transactions.
Thai police said officers intercepted the vehicle conveying the suspect and forced their way in after he allegedly resisted arrest.
Items recovered were said to include about 1.18 grams of cocaine, over 50,000 baht in cash, and messages linking him to a Thai woman whose bank account was allegedly used to receive payments.
Authorities said the suspect could face up to 10 years in prison and a heavy fine if convicted, adding that investigations were ongoing to uncover possible accomplices and the wider drug network.
Nuzbech’s arrest adds to a list of Nigerians previously detained in Thailand over drug-related offences, with Thai police maintaining that efforts to curb drug peddling remain intensified.
