By DANJUMA AMODU
The agency says the operation uncovered Nigeria’s largest clandestine meth lab in Ogun State and led to the arrest of a suspected kingpin, three Mexican chemists, and six Nigerian collaborators.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has dismantled a transnational methamphetamine syndicate and seized drugs and chemicals valued at over N480 billion, in what officials described as the largest clandestine laboratory raid in Nigeria’s history.
“‘No matter how deep into the bush you hide, no matter how secure your gated estate is, the NDLEA will hunt you down, dismantle your network, and seize your illicit wealth,’” NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Buba Marwa said on Wednesday during a briefing in Abuja.
The operation, carried out by the agency’s Special Operations Unit, involved coordinated raids across Ogun and Lagos states over 48 hours, following months of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
At the center of the bust was a hidden laboratory in Abidagba forest, Ijebu East Local Government Area, Ogun State. Operatives raided the site on May 16 and arrested suspects allegedly processing illicit substances. Among those detained were three Mexican nationals identified as methamphetamine specialists: Martinez Felix Nemecto, Jesus López Valles, and Torrero Juan Carlos. Four Nigerian collaborators were also arrested at the site: Nwankwo Sunday Christian, Igwe Abuchi Remijus, Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor.
In a parallel operation, NDLEA operatives raided a residence in Golf Estate, Lakowe, Lagos, where they arrested the alleged cartel leader, Anochili Innocent. A search of the property reportedly yielded the passports and mobile phones of the Mexican suspects, which the agency said linked the kingpin to the importation and coordination of foreign specialists.
Follow-up raids on May 18 led to the arrest of Kingsley Orike Omonughwa at a property in Mayfair Estate, Lakowe, and Emeka Nwobum, described as the operator of a stash house for the syndicate. The total number of suspects in custody now stands at 10.
The agency said it recovered 2,419.48 kilograms of chemical substances, including crystallized and liquid methamphetamine, precursor chemicals, and industrial solvents. Marwa put the international street value at $362.9 million, equivalent to over N480 billion. He added that the volume represented millions of potential street doses capable of fueling addiction, violence, and organized crime.
Vehicles seized during the operation included a Toyota Tacoma found at the forest laboratory and a Toyota Highlander recovered from the alleged leader’s residence.
Marwa said the raid demonstrated the agency’s resolve to deny drug cartels a foothold in Nigeria. He also linked the operation to the recent dismantling of another international trafficking network allegedly headed by Simon Amadi, noting that NDLEA was strengthening cooperation with global law enforcement partners.
He commended the Special Operations Unit and the agency’s chemical and forensic teams for their professionalism during the raid, and urged the public to report suspicious activities. The Ogun forest laboratory, he said, had operated under the guise of a legitimate farm.
