The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a 60-year-old fugitive drug baron, Okpara Paul Chigozie, after seven years on the run. He was captured at his hideout in Isheri, Lagos, in a major breakthrough by the agency’s Special Operations Unit.
Okpara, who had been on NDLEA’s wanted list since 2019, was finally arrested on Sunday, July 13, following the interception of one of his drug couriers at Ilasamaja, along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway at about 5:45 a.m.
The courier, identified as Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi, 51, was en route to Onitsha in a white Toyota Sienna loaded with 7.6kg of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine, carefully hidden in the vehicle’s compartments.
A subsequent raid on Okpara’s residence, according to a statement by Mr. Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, at 72 Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, led to the recovery of an additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of methamphetamine, bringing the total haul linked to the drug kingpin to 11.6kg.
In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), NDLEA operatives working with FAAN’s Aviation Security intercepted 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol from the luggage of an Italy-bound passenger, Omoregie Nice Uyiosa, who admitted intending to resell the drugs abroad.
The following day, on Thursday, July 17, NDLEA officers at the airport export shed seized 1.7kg of cannabis (skunk) concealed in Golden Morn cereal packs bound for Pakistan. A suspect, Chioba Robert Uchenna, was arrested while attempting to ship the package as part of consolidated cargo.
In a sting operation on Saturday, July 19, NDLEA agents stormed Sarah Sam Hotels in Kosofe, Lagos, where party drugs were being sold. The main suspect, Obayemi Oyetade, was arrested with 1.3kg of chocolate cannabis, 900g of cannabis gummies, and 22.9g of skunk. Three vehicles and other exhibits were also recovered from the 20-room family-run hotel.
Meanwhile, other significant busts across the country include:
●Kaduna State: Three suspects were arrested in Chikun LGA with 742.9kg of skunk and Colorado (a synthetic cannabis strain).
●Kano State: Lawan Rabiu was nabbed with 36,000 tramadol pills on Danbatta-Kazaure road.
●Gombe State: Two suspects caught with 29kg of compressed skunk, and another arrested with 25,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5.
●Borno State: NDLEA intercepted 74,360 opioid pills in a Mercedes-Benz C180.
●Bayelsa State: A 63-year-old grandmother, Akuna Nelson, was arrested with 163 litres of skuchies (a mixture of alcohol and hard drugs).
●Kogi State: Four men were caught with 2kg of methamphetamine en route from Onitsha to Minna.
●Abia State: At a notorious dealer’s base in Aba, NDLEA recovered assorted drugs and ₦736,000 in cash.
●Enugu State: 45,000 tramadol pills were seized from Chisom Okpalaeke, 30.
●Taraba State: Two suspects arrested with 10,000 tramadol caps and 1g of cannabis.
As part of its activities, the NDLEA also carried out War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaigns in schools and religious institutions across several states, including Niger, Adamawa, Enugu, Anambra, and Kano.
