The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised concerns over what it described as attempts by international drug syndicates to establish a methamphetamine production hub in Nigeria’s South-West, warning that criminal networks are increasingly relocating their operations to remote forest areas to evade detection.
Gatekeepers News reports that Methamphetamine is a highly addictive synthetic stimulant that severely affects the central nervous system and can cause devastating physical and psychological harm.
The warning comes months after the agency dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory hidden deep inside a forest in Ogun State.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, had disclosed in May that the operation led to the seizure of more than 2.4 tonnes of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals valued at over $362 million (about ₦480 billion) on the international market.
According to him, the industrial-scale laboratory, located in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, was jointly operated by a Nigerian drug cartel and Mexican methamphetamine experts.
The agency also declared suspected drug kingpin Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna and three associates wanted earlier in July over their alleged involvement in operating another clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Imo State.
Speaking to journalists during an inspection of the dismantled Ogun facility, Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, described the discovery as a major milestone in the agency’s ongoing campaign against illicit drug production and trafficking.
He said the quantity of methamphetamine recovered was capable of creating serious public health and security challenges not only in Nigeria but across West Africa and other parts of the world.
“It’s indeed a landmark for the agency in our efforts, in our drug control efforts, because you imagine the volume of what was recovered here, but that’s enough to cause a lot of issues, public health issues, security challenges, not only in our country Nigeria but even in the sub-region.
“And in other jurisdictions that’s outside of this country, because of the nature and the potency of the drug that’s methamphetamine being produced at an industrial scale in this facility, and we are glad that we have a prosecution team that is doing excellently well already in prosecuting the case,” Babafemi said.
He noted that the illicit drug was being produced on an industrial scale before NDLEA operatives dismantled the facility, adding that the agency’s legal team had recorded significant progress in prosecuting those involved.
Babafemi also referenced concerns previously expressed by NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), over attempts by international drug cartels to establish methamphetamine production centres in the South-West.
According to him, the criminal networks are deliberately moving away from cities and towns into secluded forests in a bid to avoid law enforcement.
“Indeed, the chairman of the agency, Buba Marwa, did say… earlier in his statement, that it is of serious concern that there seems to be an attempt by the drug syndicates, especially the international cartels trying to establish meth production hub within the south-west region of the country and they are not doing this within the cities or within the towns but going into the forest to do this,” he said.
“It’s a challenge the agency has risen up to, to ensure that we don’t allow them to have a hold not only in the south-west but in the entire country and that’s the result of what we all have seen with the immediate dismantling of the syndicates before they move the dangerous substances into our streets, into our communities and into the international markets.”
Babafemi disclosed that 10 suspects are currently standing trial in connection with the Ogun meth laboratory. They include alleged drug baron Anochili Innocent, three Mexican nationals and six other accomplices.
Also speaking, NDLEA’s Head Prosecutor in Lagos, Adekunle Adebajo, said several exhibits had already been admitted by the court, while the remaining ones would be tendered when proceedings resume on Friday.
Adebajo explained that the agency had earlier sought the court’s approval to dismantle the methamphetamine production facility, noting that any further action would depend on the court’s ruling on the application.
He added that all outstanding exhibits would be presented at the next hearing.
