NDLEA arrests drug kingpin after 7 years on the run, seizes over 101,000kg of illicit drugs nationwide

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, who had evaded capture for over seven years.

The 60-year-old suspect was apprehended in Isheri, Lagos State, following the interception of his drug courier en route to Onitsha, Anambra State, with 7.6kg of cocaine and 900g of methamphetamine concealed in a Toyota Sienna.

Okpara, who had been on NDLEA’s wanted list since 2019, was nabbed on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 72 Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, during a follow-up raid after the courier’s arrest along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

A search of his residence yielded an additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of methamphetamine.

In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, NDLEA operatives in collaboration with Aviation Security of FAAN on Wednesday, July 16, arrested an Italy-bound passenger, Omoregie Nice Uyiosa, with 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol concealed in his luggage. The suspect admitted he intended to sell the drugs in Europe.

On Thursday, July 17, NDLEA agents at the airport’s export shed intercepted 1.7kg of skunk hidden in packs of Golden Morn cereal, bound for Pakistan. Chioba Robert Uchenna, who presented the cargo, was taken into custody.

Also on Saturday, Sarah Sam Hotels in Kosofe, Lagos, was raided following surveillance confirming drug distribution activities. NDLEA recovered 1.3kg of chocolate cannabis, 900g of drug-laced gummies, and 22.9g of skunk from a suspect, Obayemi Oyetade. The facility is reportedly operated as a family business.

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In coordinated nationwide operations: Kaduna State: Three suspects—Onyeka Madu, Monday Nwadishi, and Emmanuel Madu—were arrested in Chikun LGA with 742.9kg of skunk and Colorado.

Kano: Lawan Rabiu caught with 36,000 tramadol pills on Danbatta-Kazaure Road.

Gombe: 25,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 were seized from Aliyu Abubakar, while Mohammed Adamu and Furaira Idris were arrested with 29kg of skunk.

Borno: NDLEA intercepted 74,360 pills of opioids in a Mercedes Benz driven by Audu Modu, 44.

Bayelsa: A 63-year-old woman, Akuna Nelson, was arrested in Yenagoa with 163 litres of ‘skuchies’ (an illicit mixture of substances).

Kogi: Four suspects from Onitsha en route Minna were caught with 2kg of methamphetamine.

Abia: Nduka Obi, 39, was busted in Aba with tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ₦736,000 in suspected drug proceeds.

Enugu: 45,000 pills of tramadol were seized from Chisom Okpalaeke, 30.

Taraba: NDLEA arrested Ngwokwoka Thomas and Mohammed Audu, both 44, with 10,000 tramadol capsules and 1g of cannabis in Gassol LGA.

In Osun State, NDLEA operatives raided and destroyed 101,150kg of cannabis (skunk) cultivated in forest plantations, further tightening its grip on illicit drug producers.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), lauded the agency’s personnel across Lagos, MMIA, Kaduna, Osun, Bayelsa, Gombe, Borno, Abia, Kogi, Enugu, and Taraba for their remarkable dedication in drug supply and demand reduction efforts.

These operations underscore NDLEA’s unrelenting commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and reducing drug abuse across Nigeria.