In a sweeping and meticulously coordinated series of operations across Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has scored a major victory in its war against illicit drug trafficking, capturing a long-wanted drug kingpin, intercepting multiple international consignments, and dismantling entrenched networks trafficking in party drugs, opioids, and hard substances.
Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued on Sunday, revealed that at the heart of the sweeping crackdown is the arrest of Okpara Paul Chigozie, a 60-year-old drug baron who had evaded justice for over seven years.His reign came to a dramatic end on Sunday, July 13, 2025, when NDLEA operatives stormed his hideout at 72 Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, Lagos, following the interception of one of his traffickers at Ilasamaja, Apapa-Oshodi expressway earlier that morning.
The courier, Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi (51), was en route to Onitsha with a white Toyota Sienna carrying concealed narcotics. A team of operatives acting on precise intelligence discovered 7.6kg of cocaine and 900g of methamphetamine stashed within hidden compartments of the vehicle. The trail led them straight to Okpara’s doorstep, where an additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of meth were seized.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, NDLEA officers—working in synergy with FAAN’s Aviation Security—nabbed Omoregie Nice Uyiosa, who was attempting to smuggle 7,790 pills of Tramadol and Rohypnol to Italy through Istanbul. In a related bust, Chioba Robert Uchenna was arrested while trying to ship 1.7kg of skunk to Pakistan—concealed in packs of Golden Morn cereal.
Elsewhere in Lagos, the fight against recreational drug culture took center stage. Operatives raided Sarah Sam Hotels in Kosofe, where party drugs like Chocolate Cannabis, weed-laced gummies, and skunk were recovered from the room of Obayemi Oyetade, the alleged ringleader of the operation. The Hotel, disturbingly, was a family-run business.
The NDLEA’s dragnet stretched from Lagos to Borno and from Kaduna to Bayelsa: In Kaduna, over 742kg of skunk and synthetic cannabis (Colorado) were seized from three suspects during a raid in Narayi High Cost.
In Gombe, 25,000 pills of Tramadol were intercepted at a roundabout, while elsewhere in the state, 29kg of compressed skunk was recovered.
In Borno, 74,360 pills of opioids were discovered concealed in a Mercedes Benz C180.
Down south in Bayelsa, a 63-year-old grandmother, Akuna Nelson, was arrested with 163 litres of Skuchies, a toxic locally brewed concoction.
In Abia, notorious dealer Nduka Obi was nabbed with a cocktail of narcotics including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ₦736,000 believed to be drug proceeds.
In Kogi, four traffickers were caught along the Okene-Lokoja highway with 2kg of methamphetamine en route to Minna, while in Taraba, two suspects were arrested with 10,000 caps of Tramadol.
In a major environmental and public health operation, the NDLEA also destroyed over 101 metric tons of skunk in a remote forest in Osun State, eliminating one of the largest illegal cannabis farms ever discovered in the region.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, with recent sensitization drives in Niger, Adamawa, Enugu, Anambra, and Kano states, targeting students, faith-based communities, and young adults.
Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), hailed the extraordinary coordination and bravery of officers across the country, especially those in Lagos, Kaduna, Osun, Bayelsa, Gombe, Borno, Abia, Kogi, Enugu, and Taraba.
“This is not just about arrests or seizures—it’s about saving lives and securing our communities. Every pill intercepted is a tragedy averted,” Marwa said.
As the NDLEA presses forward with its two-pronged approach—reducing supply and curbing demand—the agency’s momentum appears unstoppable. With the arrest of long-wanted figures like Okpara and the dismantling of complex drug supply chains, the message is clear: no trafficker is beyond the reach of justice.
NDLEA Nabs Drug Kingpin After 7-Year Hunt, Dismantles Global Network
