Raids Lagos hotel, recovers party drugs, other consignments in Golden Morn packs
Operatives from a special unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 60-year-old wanted drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, after seven years of avoiding the law.

He was caught trying to ship large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to the South-East and other parts of Nigeria.

Okpara had been on the NDLEA wanted list since 2019 and was finally apprehended at 72, Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, in Ojo area of Lagos State on Sunday, July 13, 2025.

Spokesperson for the anti-drug agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement yesterday, said Okpara’s arrest followed the interception of some of his consignments at 5:45a.m., the same day at Ilasamaja along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

He said: “During an early morning operation, NDLEA officers arrested one of Okpara’s couriers, 51-year-old Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi, who was caught heading to Onitsha, Anambra State, in a white Toyota Sienna vehicle.

“After searching the vehicle with sniffer dogs, they found 7.6 kilogrammes of cocaine and 900 grammes of methamphetamine hidden in compartments of the space bus.

“A follow-up operation at Okpara’s hideout in Isheri led to the recovery of an additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of methamphetamine.

“At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with Aviation Security personnel, intercepted 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol from a passenger named Omoregie Nice Uyiosa.

“Another arrest at the airport, led to the seizure of 17 parcels of skunk, weighing 1.70kg, concealed in Golden Morn pack bound for Pakistan.

“A suspect, Chioba Robert Uchenna, who presented the consignment for shipment, was arrested.”

“In another operation in Lagos, the NDLEA operatives raided Sarah Sam Hotels located at 115, Ogudu Road in Kosofe and apprehended a suspect named Obayemi Oyetade, who was distributing party drugs.

“The raid uncovered various drugs in Obayemi’s room, including 1.30kg of Chocolate Cannabis, 900g of gummies and 22.9g of skunk.

“Three suspects were arrested during the raid, and the operation also led to the recovery of three vehicles.

“Additionally, arrests were made in Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Borno, Bayelsa, Kogi, Abia, Enugu and Taraba states, with various drugs seized and suspects arrested.

“NDLEA officers recovered significant amounts of drugs and arrested multiple individuals involved in drug trafficking across different states in Nigeria,” he further said.