The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has uncovered a major drug cartel in Lagos, arresting a suspected baron, Onyekachi Pius Nwanagu, and five members of his network, and seizing illicit drugs worth N6.7 billion.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the breakthrough followed “credible intelligence” that the syndicate was preparing to circulate over 7.2 million tramadol pills and 526,200 bottles of codeine syrup ahead of the festive season.
Operatives of the Special Operations Unit first intercepted two suspects at Apple Junction, Festac, on 19 November, before storming a secret warehouse inside a residential estate in Isolo the next day. The drugs, hidden inside a compound on Sunny Billa East Street, were evacuated in 11 trucks to the NDLEA exhibit facility.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), described the interception as “a clear and unambiguous statement” to drug syndicates.
“The days when drug barons thought they were untouchable are over,” Marwa warned. “This seizure, which could have fueled addiction, crime and insecurity, is a victory for the Nigerian people.”
Marwa praised the professionalism of the officers involved and reaffirmed the agency’s focus on hunting down “kingpins and financiers of the illicit drug trade.”
The suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
