LAGOS, Nigeria — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Yussuf, a notorious drug kingpin, after months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on his criminal network.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Yussuf was apprehended around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 6, at the airport while attempting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia.
Authorities revealed that Yussuf had previously been arrested in the United Kingdom for drug offenses but jumped bail and fled to Nigeria. Upon returning, he established a large clandestine laboratory in Lekki, Lagos, for producing Colorado, a potent form of synthetic cannabis, and other illegal drugs.
At his residence at 17 Vincent Eku Street, Ogombo, Lekki, NDLEA operatives dismantled the illegal lab, seizing 148.3 kilograms of Colorado, precursor chemicals, and production equipment. Another suspect, Abideen Kekere-Ekun, 43, was arrested alongside Yussuf.
In related operations, NDLEA officers uncovered 105.5 kilograms of Molly and 500 grams of methamphetamine at the Sifax Bonded Terminal in Okota, Lagos, during a joint inspection with Customs and other security agencies.
Across several states, operatives also intercepted:
87,000 tramadol pills and 72kg of skunk in Niger State;
34,520 tramadol capsules hidden in a vehicle on the Zaki-Biam–Wukari road;
15,020 tramadol capsules in Taraba State;
7.6kg of Loud and 175,000 opioid pills in Kogi and Abuja;
769kg of skunk transported from Lagos to Kano;
and 1,459.75kg of cannabis destroyed in Edo State.
Two elderly suspects — 73-year-old James Ugbedo and 70-year-old Comfort Odudu — were also arrested in separate drug-related incidents in Edo and Bayelsa States.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.) commended the successful operations, emphasizing the agency’s resolve to dismantle drug networks nationwide.
“The arrest of the Lekki kingpin and dismantling of another Colorado lab show that NDLEA will keep hunting down those who trade death in our communities,” Marwa said.
He added that the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative will continue to strengthen public awareness through schools, workplaces, and community outreach.
