NDLEA uncovers Mexican cartel links to methamphetamine labs in Ogun, Oyo forests
NDLEA Investigates Methamphetamine Production Networks in Nigeria
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has discovered attempts by international drug cartels to establish large-scale methamphetamine production facilities in the forested regions of Ogun and Oyo states. The agency has indicated that these networks have links to Mexican criminal organizations aiming to penetrate Nigeria’s illicit drug market.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, shared insights about these developments during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs program on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu. Babafemi noted that the agency has recently identified clandestine efforts to set up methamphetamine laboratories in remote forest areas. He emphasized that NDLEA operatives are focusing not only on traditional drug seizures but also on dismantling trafficking networks at their operational bases.
“We’ve seen a recent collaboration between Nigerian and Mexican cartels attempting to establish methamphetamine laboratories in the forests of Ogun and Oyo states,” Babafemi stated. He added that a related operation in Ebonyi State has led to arrests, with more information to be released following procedural completion.
Babafemi highlighted that these developments reflect the increasingly international nature of the drug trade and the efforts of foreign criminal networks to set up production and distribution systems in Nigeria. He confirmed that the NDLEA is enhancing cooperation with domestic and international law enforcement agencies to address the complexities of transnational drug trafficking.
In response to stricter controls at airports, seaports, and major highways, the agency has intensified efforts to dismantle trafficking routes. Some criminal networks are reportedly rerouting narcotics through neighboring countries before entering Nigeria. Babafemi pointed to the recent dismantling of a cartel operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor, which is a significant route for the distribution of opioids and other illicit substances.
The NDLEA’s strategy now includes not only arrests and seizures but also intelligence gathering, disrupting criminal structures, and targeting the financial networks that support drug trafficking. “We’re dismantling their structures and disabling their capacity, whether in terms of their financial backbone or operational capabilities,” Babafemi said.
The agency is also enhancing its ability to investigate drug trafficking activities facilitated by digital platforms, such as social media, cryptocurrency networks, and the dark web. Babafemi noted that intelligence obtained from social media has already played a role in numerous arrests, and NDLEA officers are undergoing specialized training in financial investigations, asset tracing, and the recovery of proceeds linked to drug trafficking.
Furthermore, the NDLEA has cautioned social media influencers against promoting illegal drug use. Babafemi mentioned that the agency is collaborating with the Actors Guild of Nigeria and other stakeholders in the entertainment industry to discourage substance abuse.
In a recent operation, the NDLEA Marine Command intercepted shipments of cocaine, methamphetamine, and cannabis on the high seas off Akwa Ibom State, which were reportedly bound for Cameroon. The Marine Command is staffed with trained personnel from various countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Brazil, dedicated to monitoring Nigeria’s waterways and supporting maritime anti-narcotics efforts.
The agency is broadening its focus beyond traditional narcotics to include synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and Captagon. Babafemi explained that while cocaine is not produced domestically, it is largely sourced from South America and transported through African routes toward international markets.
Babafemi emphasized that the lucrative nature of the narcotics trade continues to attract organized criminal networks. He revealed that the methamphetamine laboratory recently discovered in Ogun state has the potential to yield drugs worth an estimated half a trillion naira.
In an effort to reduce the dependency of cannabis farmers on illicit cultivation, the NDLEA has implemented an Alternative Development Programme. Launched in three communities in Ondo State—Ifon, Ilu-Abo, and Eleyewo—this initiative encourages cannabis cultivators to explore alternative livelihoods, such as poultry farming and fishing. Early results from the pilot program have been encouraging.
The NDLEA is also taking measures to enhance the safety and operational capacity of its personnel. Officers have received specialized training, life and injury insurance, improved protective equipment, and operational vehicles. Additionally, the agency has acquired modern firearms, including AK-47 rifles, as part of its efforts to protect officers and their facilities against armed groups.
Babafemi announced that residential facilities for NDLEA personnel are being developed in strategic locations to safeguard officers and their families from potential retaliation by traffickers, with accommodations already available in Yola, Adamawa State, and ongoing projects in Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu.
The NDLEA remains resolute in its mission to combat criminal networks attempting to exploit Nigeria’s forests, waterways, online platforms, and international trafficking corridors. “We’re winning,” Babafemi affirmed, asserting that the agency’s intensified operations are reclaiming previously ungoverned spaces targeted by drug traffickers.
