By Ayorinde Oluokun

The National Law Drug Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Friday arraigned 63-year-old drug baron, Anochili Innocent, three Mexican nationals and six other Nigerians before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on 11-count criminal charge bordering on the setting up of a super clandestine laboratory and the production of 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine worth over N480 billion in Ogun State.

The three Mexican nationals arraigned alongside the Nigerians were identifies as Juan Carlos Meza Torrero, 49; Nemecio Martinez Felix, 46; Jesus López Valles, 40.

The Nigerians arraigned aside Anochili, were identified as Nwankwo Sunday Christian, 41; Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor, 38; Igwe Abuchi Remijus, 43; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, 23; Omonughwa Kingsley Orike, 45; and Nwobum Emeka, 59.

In the 11-count charge, the agency alleged that the defendants conspired between February and 16th May 2026 to establish a clandestine laboratory for the preparation, processing and production of methamphetamine, in violation of Section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act.

Other counts include managing, organising and financing a drug trafficking organisation contrary to Section 20(1)(g); unlawfully transporting precursor chemicals, including toluene, phenyl-2-propane (P2P), phenyl acetic acid, acetone and hydrochloric acid, from Lagos to the Mowe laboratory using a Toyota Tacoma, a Mercedes Benz marked APP 942 YL and a Toyota Highlander marked GWA 662DJ, contrary to Section 20(1)(f); and unlawful production and possession of the 2,419.48kg haul of methamphetamine, contrary to Sections 11(a) and 19 of the Act respectively.

NDLEA accused the defendants of possession of large quantities of precursor chemicals recovered at the laboratory, including 358kg of toluene, 1,834kg of hydrochloric acid and 22.5kg of acetone, alongside quantities of P2P and phenyl acetic acid, all contrary to Section 20(1)(e) of the NDLEA Act.

Anochili who was described by NDLEA as the owner of the fenced expanse of land on which the super lab was sited was charged separately under Section 12 of the NDLEA Act for unlawfully allowing his property to be used for the production of the illicit drug.

All 10 defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Kakaki.

The prosecution thereafter called seven witnesses to commence trial having served the defence the proof of evidence since 3rd of July 2026 but the defence objected asking for more time.

The court consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Correctional Centre Lagos with the case adjourned to the 16th and 22nd of July for trial and hearing of the application for bail.

They suspects were arrested by operatives of NDLEA in coordinated raids in Ogun and Lagos state between 16th and 18th May 2026 in the super lab hidden deep inside Mowe Forest, Ijebu East LGA of Ogun State.

Nwankwo Sunday Christian; Igwe Abuchi Remijus; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua; and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor as well as the three Mexican meth experts: Martinez Felix Nemecto; Jesus López Valles; and Torrero Juan Carlos were arrested on 16th May at the Super lab in Mowe Forest.

Anochili, the alleged mastermind of the cartel was simultaneously arrested at his luxury residence located at No. 8 Tafawa Balewa Street, Golf Estate, Lakowe, Lekki area of Lagos state on the same date.

In follow-up operations on Monday 18th May 2026, NDLEA operatives stormed another property owned by the baron at House 70, Close 3, Mayfair Estate, Lakowe, Lekki, Lagos where another key member of the syndicate, Kingsley Orike Omonughwa, was arrested.

The NDLEA investigators also stormed the residence of another syndicate member, Emeka Nwobum, whose property served as the cartel’s strategic stash house to arrest him on the same day.

Speaking on the arraignment, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) said the case represents one of the most significant dismantling of an industrial-scale narcotics production operation on Nigerian soil, underscoring the increasingly transnational character of drug trafficking networks now desperate to exploit Nigeria as a manufacturing base for onward export.

“The presence of Mexican nationals among those arrested and arraigned today speaks to the alarming reach of international drug cartels now attempting to entrench themselves in Nigeria, but the Agency will not relent in tracking down and dismantling every such network, no matter how well concealed or well-financed”, Marwa stated.

He reiterated NDLEA’s commitment to ridding Nigeria of drug cartels and their local collaborators and called on members of the public to continue providing useful information to support the Agency’s operations nationwide.