Wanted Drug Kingpin Captured at Lagos Airport, Secret ‘Colorado’ Drug Lab Dismantled
In a major victory for Nigerian anti-drug forces, authorities have apprehended a wanted drug lord attempting to flee the country while disguising his travels as a religious pilgrimage. The arrest led to the dismantling of a sophisticated synthetic drug laboratory operating in plain sight within an upscale Lagos neighborhood.
The Airport Arrest
Yussuf Abayomi Azeez, 40, walked directly into a carefully laid trap at Murtala Mohammed International Airport last Thursday. The wanted kingpin was attempting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia for Umrah pilgrimage when National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives closed in, ending months of surveillance.
“At about 6:30 am on Thursday, November 6, Yussuf walked into the waiting hands of NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to board his flight to Saudi Arabia for Umrah,” confirmed Mr. Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.
Investigators revealed Azeez had a history of evading justice, having previously jumped bail in the United Kingdom after facing drug offense charges before escaping to Nigeria.
The Secret Lekki Laboratory
Following his arrest, Azeez was immediately transported to his clandestine operation at 17 Vincent Eku street in the Ogombo area of Lekki. The facility had been under close surveillance before the takedown.
What authorities discovered was staggering—a fully operational drug manufacturing plant dedicated to producing ‘Colorado,’ a dangerous synthetic cannabis, along with various other illicit substances. At the time of the raid, Azeez was accompanied by another suspect, 43-year-old Abideen Kekere-Ekun.
Inside the massive building, specialized teams from the NDLEA’s Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring systematically dismantled all laboratory equipment, precursor chemicals, and finished products totaling 148.3 kilograms.
Nationwide Crackdown on Drug Trafficking
The Lagos operation formed part of a broader nationwide crackdown that yielded multiple significant seizures across Nigeria:
Major Interceptions
In a coordinated operation with Customs and other security agencies at Sifax bonded terminal in Okota, Lagos, authorities uncovered 105.5 kilograms of ‘Molly’—a potent designer drug—along with 500 grams of methamphetamine.
Meanwhile, in Niger state, operatives intercepted a Volvo truck and arrested 35-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed, who was transporting 87,000 tramadol pills and 72 kilograms of skunk, a high-potency cannabis strain.
International Trafficking Routes Disrupted
Along the Zaki-Biam Wukari road, a Toyota Corolla was stopped and its 25-year-old driver, Aliyu Samaila, was arrested after 34,520 capsules of tramadol were discovered hidden throughout the vehicle. The opioids had been loaded in Onitsha, Anambra State, and were destined for Cameroon, highlighting the international reach of Nigerian drug networks.
Additional arrests and seizures occurred in Taraba, Kogi, Abuja, and Kaduna states, involving substantial quantities of tramadol, cannabis varieties (including ‘skunk’ and ‘Loud’), and other opioids. In Abuja alone, a follow-up operation led to the arrest of 40-year-old Chukwunonso Anieze and the recovery of 175,000 opioid pills.
Elderly Involvement in Drug Trade
In a concerning trend, the crackdown revealed drug operations involving elderly participants. In Edo state, 73-year-old James Ugbedo was arrested at a cannabis plantation where over 1,459 kilograms of skunk was ultimately destroyed. Similarly, in Bayelsa state, 70-year-old Comfort Odudu was apprehended with 5 kilograms of skunk.
Education and Enforcement
Alongside these enforcement actions, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization program, conducting educational lectures in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities nationwide.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, praised the officers involved in the successful operations, sending a clear message to drug traffickers.
“The dismantling of yet another clandestine laboratory for the production of Colorado and other dangerous synthetic substances… shows that these are no doubt the first in a series of many strikes against merchants of death who prey on the weak in our communities,” Marwa stated.
“Let it be known to those still hiding in the dark that the NDLEA, supported by our local and international law enforcement partners, will continue to hunt them and bring them to justice.”
Source: NDLEA official statement