Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a notorious drug lord, 40-year-old Yussuf Abayomi Azeez, at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, as he attempted to board a flight to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. The arrest capped months of intensive surveillance on his illicit operations.
NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi revealed that Azeez, previously arrested and charged in the United Kingdom, had jumped bail and fled to Nigeria.
“After settling in Lagos, he established a massive clandestine laboratory in Lekki for producing Colorado, a deadly synthetic cannabis, and other illegal substances,” Babafemi said.
At the time of his arrest, he was accompanied by 43-year-old Abideen Kekere-Ekun.
The NDLEA dismantled the lab, seizing 148.3 kilograms of drugs, along with laboratory equipment and precursor chemicals.
The Agency simultaneously intercepted multiple large-scale consignments across the country. In Lagos, officers recovered 105.5kg of Molly and 500 grams of methamphetamine. In Niger State, 87,000 tramadol pills and 72kg of skunk were seized.
Edo State operatives arrested 73-year-old James Ugbedo in a cannabis plantation, destroying 1,459.75kg of skunk, while in Bayelsa, 70-year-old Comfort Odudu was apprehended with 5kg of cannabis. In Kogi State, officers intercepted 7.6kg of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis.
Chairman of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers for their relentless work, describing the arrests as part of an ongoing campaign to dismantle drug trafficking networks.
“These operations send a strong warning to drug barons hiding in the shadows: NDLEA, supported by local and international partners, will continue to track and bring you to justice,” he said. Meanwhile, NDLEA continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) programs nationwide, sensitizing schools, workplaces, and communities to curb drug abuse and strengthen public awareness.
