The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says there are attempts by international drug cartels to establish a methamphetamine production hub in the south-west of Nigeria.
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive, synthetic stimulant
that drastically affects the central nervous system. It causes severe physical
and psychological damage.
In May, the NDLEA said it dismantled a methamphetamine
laboratory in Ogun state.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said in a statement that
the operation led to the seizure of over 2.4 tonnes of methamphetamine and
chemical materials valued at more than $362 million, equivalent to over N480
billion in the international market.
He said the industrial-scale laboratory was hidden inside a
remote forest in Ijebu east LGA, and was jointly operated by a Nigerian drug
cartel and Mexican methamphetamine experts.
Earlier in July, the agency declared Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna,
a suspected drug kingpin, and three of his associates wanted over alleged
involvement in the operation of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Imo
state.
‘FOREST HIDEOUTS NEW BASE FOR SYNDICATES’
Speaking to journalists during an inspection of the
facilities used for production of the illicit substance in Ogun state, Femi
Babafemi, NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, said the operation was a
major breakthrough in the agency’s anti-drug campaign.
Babafemi said the volume of methamphetamine recovered from
the clandestine laboratory was enough to pose significant public health and
security threats within Nigeria, the West Africa sub-region, and beyond.
“It’s indeed a landmark for the agency in our efforts, in
our drug control efforts, because you imagine the volume of what was recovered
here, but that’s enough to cause a lot of issues, public health issues,
security challenges, not only in our country Nigeria but even in the
sub-region,” Babafemi said.
“And in other jurisdictions that’s outside of this country,
because of the nature and the potency of the drug that’s methamphetamine being
produced at an industrial scale in this facility, and we are glad that we have
a prosecution team that is doing excellently well already in prosecuting the
case.”
Babafemi added that the illicit drug was being produced on
an industrial scale at the facility before the agency dismantled the operation.
He said the agency’s prosecution team had made significant
progress in pursuing the case and expressed confidence in the ongoing trial.
According to the director, Buba Marwa, chairman of the
NDLEA, had raised concerns over attempts by international drug syndicates to
establish methamphetamine production bases in the country’s south-west.
Babafemi said the cartels had shifted their operations away
from cities and towns to remote forest locations in a bid to evade detection.
“Indeed, the chairman of the agency, Buba Marwa, did say
that… earlier in his statement, that it is of serious concern that there seems
to be an attempt by the drug syndicates, especially the international cartels
trying to establish meth production hub within the south-west region of the
country and they are not doing this within the cities or within the towns but
going into the forest to do this,” the director said.
“It’s a challenge the agency has risen up to, to ensure that
we don’t allow them to have a hold not only in the south-west but in the entire
country and that’s the result of what we all have seen with the immediate
dismantling of the syndicates before they move the dangerous substances into
our streets, into our communities and into the international markets.”
Babafemi said 10 suspects are being prosecuted in connection
with the case, including alleged drug baron Anochili Innocent, three Mexican
nationals and six other accomplices.
Adekunle Adebajo, NDLEA’s head prosecutor in Lagos, said
while some exhibits had been admitted during previous proceedings, the others
would be tendered on Friday when the case resumes.
Adebajo said an application had earlier been filed to
dismantle the meth production facility, adding that any further action would
depend on the court’s ruling on the application.
He noted that outstanding exhibits would be admitted at the
next sitting.
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