NDLEA Nabs Notorious Drug Kingpin After 7 Years on the Run, Seizes 11.6kg of Cocaine and Meth in Lagos

 

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In a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking in Nigeria, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 60-year-old wanted drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, after evading arrest for seven years.

According to Femi Babafemi, spokesperson for the anti-narcotics agency, Okpara—who has been on NDLEA’s wanted list since 2019—was apprehended on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at his hideout located at 72 Michael Ojo Street in Isheri, within the Ojo area of Lagos State. His arrest came shortly after NDLEA officers intercepted a courier transporting hard drugs at Ilasamaja, along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway at around 5:45 am the same day.

“In the early morning operation, a team of NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence arrested one of Okpara’s couriers, 51-year-old Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi while heading to Onitsha, Anambra State in a white Toyota Sienna vehicle,” Babafemi stated.

NDLEA’s K-9 unit deployed sniffer dogs to search the vehicle, leading to the discovery of 7.6 kilograms of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine concealed within hidden compartments of the van. A swift follow-up raid at Okpara’s Isheri residence led to the recovery of an additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of methamphetamine.

This Lagos drug bust highlights the agency’s commitment to dismantling major drug networks operating across the country, particularly those using Lagos as a trafficking hub to distribute illicit substances to the Southeast and beyond.

In a separate incident at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, NDLEA operatives in a joint operation with Aviation Security officers from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) intercepted a large quantity of pharmaceutical drugs from an outbound passenger.

Babafemi reported that on Wednesday, July 16, authorities seized 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol from the luggage of one Omoregie Nice Uyiosa, who was attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy via Istanbul.

“The suspect who was going to Italy via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight claimed he purchased the drugs himself, hoping to sell them in Italy at higher prices,” Babafemi noted.

The NDLEA continues to intensify its crackdown on drug smuggling operations across Nigeria, sending a clear message to traffickers that no matter how long they hide, justice will prevail.

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