NDLEA nabs drug kingpin, seizes consignments hidden in food items
Abdullateef Fowewe
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has escalated its fight against drug trafficking last week, conducting a series of operations that led to the arrest of a notorious drug kingpin, raids on a Lagos hotel, and the interception of international drug consignments cleverly hidden within food items.
A major breakthrough came with the capture of Okpara Chigozie, 60, a prominent drug cartel leader who had been a fugitive since 2019.
NDLEA operatives arrested Chigozie at his hideout on Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, Ojo, Lagos.
This arrest followed the interception of a white Toyota Sienna van transporting his illicit cargo.
As stated in a statement on Sunday by the NDLA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the vehicle, en route to Onitsha, Anambra State, was intercepted around 5:45 AM on Sunday, July 13, at Ilasamaja on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
The statement notes, “Operatives of a special operations unit of the NDLEA have arrested a wanted 60-year-old drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, ending 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 Southeast 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 Micheal 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.
“In the early morning operation, a team of NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence arrested one of Okparas couriers, 51-year-old Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi while heading to Onitsha, Anambra state in a white Toyota Sienna vehicle.
“The agency’s sniffer dogs were subsequently brought in to search the vehicle after which 7.6 kilograms of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine were found hidden in body compartments of the space bus.
“A follow up operation was promptly carried out at Okparas hideout in Isheri where an additional 1.8kg cocaine and 1.3kg methamphetamine were recovered from his residence.
“In another arrest at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives at the export shed on Thursday, 17th July 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.”
