Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected notorious drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, after evading law enforcement for over seven years.
The 60-year-old suspect was apprehended at his hideout in Isheri, Ojo area of Lagos State, where operatives recovered a stash of illicit substances weighing 11.6 kilograms, including cocaine and methamphetamine.
Breakthrough Arrest in Lagos
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued on Sunday, July 13, 2025, confirmed that the breakthrough followed the arrest of one of Okpara’s couriers, Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi, 51, who was intercepted along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Ilasamaja.
Achebe, who was reportedly on his way to Onitsha, Anambra State, was driving a white Toyota Sienna minivan loaded with carefully concealed drugs.
“The agency’s sniffer dogs were deployed to search the vehicle, uncovering 7.6 kilograms of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine hidden in body compartments,” Babafemi said.
Follow-up Operation Exposes Drug Den
Following Achebe’s arrest, NDLEA operatives launched a follow-up operation at Okpara’s residence located at 72 Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, resulting in the recovery of additional narcotics—1.8 kilograms of cocaine and 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine.
“Okpara, who has been on NDLEA’s wanted list since 2019, was finally captured, putting an end to his long-running evasion of justice,” the statement read.
Crackdown on Interstate Drug Trafficking
NDLEA noted that the suspect had allegedly been overseeing the shipment of large volumes of illegal drugs from Lagos to the Southeast and other regions.
Officials believe his operations involved a well-coordinated network of couriers and hidden storage compartments to bypass security checks.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling drug cartels operating across the country and called on members of the public to report suspicious activities.
