(DDM) – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious and long-wanted drug baron, Yussuf Azeez, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos State.
According to the NDLEA, the arrest follows months of intense surveillance and coordinated intelligence operations targeting a major synthetic-drug network believed to be operating across Lagos and Ogun States.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Azeez, 42, was intercepted on Thursday night while attempting to board a flight to Europe under a false identity.
The suspect, who had been on the NDLEA’s watch list for over two years, was linked to the production and distribution of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and designer opioids through a secret laboratory recently uncovered in Lagos.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development in a statement released on Sunday, describing the operation as “another major victory in the agency’s ongoing war against narcotics trafficking.”
He said that the dismantled laboratory, located in the Ejigbo area of Lagos, contained sophisticated chemical mixers, industrial burners, and imported precursors used in the production of synthetic drugs.
Babafemi revealed that several suspects connected to the lab were also arrested, while others escaped during the raid but are currently being tracked through forensic evidence and electronic data recovered from seized devices.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Azeez’s syndicate had been supplying large quantities of methamphetamine to drug cartels in South Africa and parts of Europe, using Nigeria as a manufacturing and export hub.
NDLEA operatives reportedly recovered over 25 kilograms of crystal meth, 15 kilograms of cannabis sativa, and several unmarked containers of liquid precursors from the site.
The agency also discovered fake international passports, shipping documents, and coded transaction records showing links to foreign buyers.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd.), commended the operatives for their bravery and warned that the agency will intensify its crackdown on illicit drug producers and traffickers.
He stated that the successful dismantling of the synthetic-drug lab proves that Nigeria will no longer serve as a safe haven for criminal enterprises targeting the youth population.
Marwa added that Azeez will be charged to court after the completion of investigations, alongside other members of his network.
He assured Nigerians that the NDLEA remains committed to safeguarding communities and will continue to collaborate with international partners to stem the inflow of dangerous substances.
Security analysts say the latest bust marks a significant disruption to the methamphetamine trade in West Africa, where Nigerian syndicates have become increasingly active in recent years.
