Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested six suspected members of a major drug cartel after uncovering illicit substances valued at N6.7 billion inside a warehouse located within a residential estate in the Isolo area of Lagos State.
In a statement released Wednesday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the operation led to the arrest of alleged drug baron Onyekachi Nwanagu and five members of his syndicate.
The agency recovered 7.2 million pills of Tramadol 225mg and 526,200 bottles (52.6 million ml) of codeine syrup from their concealed warehouse.
According to Babafemi, the interception followed “credible intelligence” that the cartel was preparing to distribute the stock ahead of the Christmas season.
The Special Operations Unit of the NDLEA conducted a coordinated raid between November 19 and 20, targeting the syndicate’s movements across Lagos.
Two members of the cartel—Egbo Innocent Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel—were first tracked and arrested at Apple Junction, FESTAC, on November 19 while transporting 300 cartons of opioids in a truck.
A follow-up raid on the warehouse at 23 Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri, Isolo the next day led to the arrest of Nwanagu and three others: Nwoye Sunday Ali, Nnacho Ogochukwu and Oraghalia Chukwuebuka Philip.
“In all, a total of 7,272,000 pills of Tramadol worth N3.96bn and 53 million ml of codeine syrup valued at N2.76bn—with a combined street value of N6,722,550,000—were recovered and subsequently moved in 11 trucks to the NDLEA central exhibit complex in Lagos,” Babafemi said.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) commended the officers, describing the operation as a major blow to drug cartels “preying on Nigeria’s youth.”
“This is not just an arrest; it is a clear and unambiguous statement,” Marwa said. “The seizure of this colossal volume of illicit drugs… represents a victory for the Nigerian people and confirms our unwavering commitment to the mandate given to us by President Bola Tinubu.”
Emphasising the agency’s resolve to dismantle drug networks, he added:
“The days when drug barons thought they were untouchable are over. No matter how deeply concealed they believe they are, the long arm of the law will catch up with them.”
The agency noted that the latest operation follows the November 15 arrest of another wanted drug baron, Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, after weeks of surveillance.