Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected drug kingpin, Onyekachi Nwanagu, along with five members of his syndicate, after uncovering a massive opioid warehouse in the Isolo area of Lagos.
The intelligence-driven operation, led by the agency’s Special Operations Unit between November 19 and 20, followed reports that the group was preparing to distribute over 7.2 million tramadol pills and more than 526,000 bottles of codeine syrup ahead of the festive season.
According to the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the crackdown began on November 19 when two suspects, Egbo Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel, were intercepted at Apple Junction, Festac, while transporting 300 cartons of opioids in a truck.
A follow-up raid the next day at the syndicate’s warehouse — located at Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri — led to the arrest of Nwanagu and three other associates: Nwoye Sunday Ali, Nnacho Ogochukwu, and Oraghalia Philip.
Babafemi revealed that officers recovered 7,272,000 tramadol 225mg pills valued at N3.96 billion and 53 million millilitres of codeine syrup worth over N2.76 billion. The seized drugs, with a combined street value of N6.72 billion, were evacuated from the estate using 11 trucks and moved to the NDLEA’s central exhibit complex in Lagos.
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NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), praised the successful operation, describing it as a major blow to large-scale drug trafficking networks. He noted that the seizure prevented dangerous substances from flooding communities during the festive period and contributing to addiction and insecurity.
The NDLEA has ramped up operations nationwide in recent weeks, focusing on dismantling high-level drug cartels and intercepting bulk shipments ahead of the Christmas season.
