Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected drug kingpin, Onyekachi Pius Nwanagu, along with five members of his syndicate, after recovering illicit substances worth over N6.7 billion in Lagos State.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the arrests followed a sting operation conducted between November 19 and 20, 2025, based on credible intelligence that the syndicate was preparing to distribute 7,272,000 tramadol pills (225mg) and 526,200 bottles (52.6 million millilitres) of codeine syrup ahead of the Christmas season.
The drugs were reportedly stored in a residential compound at 23 Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri, Isolo, Lagos.
“Following intelligence that the drug trafficking organisation (DTO) was ready to distribute the substances, operatives swooped on the syndicate, arresting Nwanagu and his gang while seizing the illicit opioids,” the NDLEA statement read.
Two members of the syndicate, Egbo Innocent Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel, were first apprehended on November 19 at Apple Junction, Festac, while transporting 300 cartons of opioids in a truck. A subsequent raid on the Lagos warehouse on November 20 led to the arrest of Nwanagu and three other suspects: Nwoye Sunday Ali, Nnacho Ogochukwu, and Oraghalia Chukwuebuka Philip.
The recovered drugs were evacuated in 11 trucks to the agency’s central exhibit complex.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), hailed the operation as a major victory against drug cartels targeting Nigerian youth, emphasizing that the seizure reflects the scale of the threat posed by organised drug syndicates.
He added that the agency remains focused on dismantling kingpins rather than targeting only low-level couriers, underlining the commitment to curbing the nation’s opioid crisis.
