The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has dismantled a major opioids cartel in an intelligence-driven operation that led to the arrest of drug kingpin Onyekachi Pius Nwanagu and five members of his network. Illicit substances valued at over N6.7 billion were recovered from their concealed warehouse inside a residential estate in Lagos.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the agency, officers of the Special Operations Unit stormed the syndicate’s base following credible intelligence that the group was preparing to distribute over 7.2 million tramadol 225mg pills and 526,200 bottles of codeine syrup, all stored at 23 Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri, Isolo. The cartel was allegedly planning to flood the market ahead of the Christmas season.
Between Wednesday, 19th November, and Thursday, 20th November 2025, the NDLEA carried out a coordinated crackdown to arrest the suspects and dismantle their drug network.
Two members of the cartel, Egbo Innocent Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel, were first traced and apprehended at Apple Junction, Festac, while transporting 300 cartons of opioids in a truck.
A follow-up raid on the warehouse the next day led to the arrest of the kingpin, Onyekachi Nwanagu, alongside other syndicate members identified as Nwoye Sunday Ali, Nnacho Ogochukwu, and Oraghalia Chukwuebuka Philip.
In total, the NDLEA recovered 7,272,000 tramadol pills worth N3.96 billion and 53 million millilitres of codeine syrup valued at N2.76 billion, bringing the total street value to N6.72 billion. The drugs were evacuated in eleven trucks to the NDLEA exhibit complex in Lagos.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the Special Operations Unit and Strike Force Unit for their professionalism, describing the raid as a significant strike against cartels targeting Nigerian youths.
He said the seizure was “a victory for the Nigerian people” and a reaffirmation of the agency’s commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s mandate.
Marwa stressed that the NDLEA remains focused on hunting down drug kingpins.
He warned that “the days when drug barons thought they were untouchable are over,” adding that the arrests show the law will always catch up with “every merchant of death,” no matter how hidden they believe they are.
