The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has extradited a Nigerian national, Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi, to the United Kingdom to face charges over alleged murder and drug trafficking.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, said Adebiyi was arrested on January 23, 2025, by operatives of INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja.
The extradition followed a request by UK authorities in September 2024 over Adebiyi’s alleged involvement in the murder of Joshua Boadu on June 18, 2018. Police said the suspect fled to Nigeria after the incident to evade arrest.
According to the statement, Adebiyi is also accused of involvement in the supply of crack cocaine, a Class-A controlled drug, between October 2017 and March 2018 in the United Kingdom.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had, in November 2025, approved his extradition after ruling that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation met all legal requirements under Nigeria’s Extradition Act.
Justice A.O. Faji subsequently granted the final application for extradition on February 16, 2026, paving the way for his transfer.
“Pursuant to the court order and the execution of a surrender warrant by the relevant Nigerian authorities, the fugitive was formally handed over to United Kingdom law enforcement officials on April 14, 2026, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, for prosecution,” the statement said.
The police noted that the extradition process was carried out in line with established legal frameworks and international cooperation protocols.
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