The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has revealed that it intercepted international consignments of hard drugs concealed in food items, and apprehended a long-wanted drug kingpin.
During one of the operations, 60-year-old Okpara Chigozie, a major drug cartel leader who had evaded arrest since 2019, was nabbed.
Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said operatives nabbed him at his hideout on Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, Ojo, Lagos, following the interception of a white Toyota Sienna van carrying his illicit cargo.
Babafemi said the vehicle, heading to Onitsha, Anambra State, was stopped at Ilasamaja on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway at about 5:45 am on Sunday, July 13.
The arrest of the wanted 60-year-old drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, ended seven years of evading the long arm of the law, even as he was caught attempting to ship large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to the South East and other parts of the country.
“Okpara who has been on the wanted list of NDLEA since 2019 was eventually nabbed at his hideout at 72 Michael Ojo Street, Isheri in Ojo area of Lagos state on Sunday 13th July 2025 following the interception of some of his consignments at 5:45 am same day at Ilasamaja along Apapa-Oshodi expressway,” Babafemi said in a statement.
The NDLEA spokesman said a search conducted with sniffer dogs uncovered 7.6Kg of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine hidden in body compartments, adding that the driver, Achebe Nnamdi, 51, was arrested.
In a follow up operation carried out at Okpara’s hideout in Isheri, an additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of methamphetamine were recovered from his residence.
Similarly, NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, working with Aviation Security officials, recovered 7,790 pills of tramadol and rophynol from a passenger, Omoregie Uyiosa.
The suspect, en route to Italy via Turkish Airlines on Wednesday, July 16, admitted he intended to sell the drugs abroad.
The next day at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives at the export shed intercepted 17 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 1.70kg concealed in packs of popular cereal, Golden Morn, going to Pakistan as part of a consolidated cargo.
A suspect, Chioba Robert Uchenna, who presented the consignment for shipment was arrested.
Also in Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives stormed the Sarah Sam Hotels on Ogudu Road, Kosofe, where “party drugs” were allegedly being distributed.
He said the facility, run as a family business, was raided on Saturday, July 19, after surveillance linked it to suspect Obayemi Oyetade.
From his room, he said officers recovered 1.3kg of chocolate cannabis, 900 grams of cannabis-infused gummies, and 22.9 grams of skunk.
Three vehicles were also seized.