The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has taken down an opioids cartel in Lagos, apprehending a suspected drug lord, Onyekachi Pius Nwanagu, along with five other associates from his network.
More than N6.7 billion worth of illegal substances were retrieved from a hidden warehouse situated in a residential area.
Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, revealed on Wednesday that this operation was initiated based on reliable intelligence suggesting that the group was gearing up to distribute over 7.2 million tramadol pills (225mg) and 526,200 bottles (52.6 million millilitres) of codeine syrup in anticipation of the Christmas season.
Babafemi stated that the NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit conducted synchronized raids from November 19 to 20, 2025.
Two individuals from the drug trafficking group, Egbo Innocent Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel, were initially detained at Apple Junction, Festac, while transporting 300 cartons of opioids in a truck.
The spokesperson mentioned that a follow-up operation at the warehouse located at 23 Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri, in the Isolo region of Lagos, resulted in the capture of Nwanagu and three others: Nwoye Sunday Ali, Nnacho Ogochukwu, and Oraghalia Chukwuebuka Philip.
In total, the operatives confiscated 7,272,000 tramadol pills valued at N3.96 billion and 53 million millilitres of codeine syrup worth N2.76 billion. The seized items were transported from the estate in 11 trucks to the NDLEA’s central exhibit complex in Lagos.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the officers involved, calling the success a significant blow to drug cartels targeting Nigerian youth. He emphasized that the seizure reinforces the agency’s commitment to pursuing drug kingpins and their financial backers.
Marwa highlighted that the arrests emphasize the agency’s resolve to combat drug trafficking and protect the nation’s youth.