The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared a drug kingpin, Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna, popularly known as Odogwu, and three of his associates wanted over their alleged involvement in the establishment of a clandestine laboratory, production of methamphetamine, and drug money laundering.
The drug kingpin’s associates are Emmanuella Chinonso Iroka, Nnamuka Ifeanyi Kingsley, and Ekechi Franklin Chijioke, fondly called Ekene Okwunaga)
The suspects were declared wanted based on the order of Justice Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, following an application by NDLEA in suit number FHC/OW/CS/22/2026 filed before the court on July 3, 2026.
The anti-drug agency, in a statement issued on Friday by its Director and Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the declaration followed the discovery of a methamphetamine producing clandestine laboratory where 18.4 kilograms of the illicit substance and other items were recovered by NDLEA operatives at Isiozi in Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State on February 25, 2026.
Babafemi disclosed that investigations later linked the wanted suspects to the meth lab and have since then gone into hiding.
“Through forensic investigation of the meth syndicate by NDLEA operatives, bank accounts linked to the wanted suspects with a combined balance of N9,840,873,566.66 only was frozen while the agency has secured interim forfeiture orders covering multibillion naira assets owned by members of the syndicate including: a filling station, multi-storey residential buildings and four Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) marked RLU 148 AJ; KJA 563 FZ; BWR 249 DY and FST 208 HU,” Babafemi said.
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Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), commended the anti-narcotic officers involved in the operation, describing it as a clear demonstration of the agency’s resolve to dismantle drug trafficking networks and disrupt the financial architecture that sustains them.
Marwa stated: “I want to assure Nigerians that the agency will not relent in going after the fleeing suspects and anyone else linked to this syndicate. We will continue to deploy financial and forensic intelligence to trace, freeze and forfeit assets acquired through drug trafficking, just as we will not hesitate to invoke the full weight of the law against fugitives who think they can hide from justice.
“I appeal to members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects to volunteer such information to the nearest NDLEA office or through our confidential lines, as we remain committed to ridding our communities of the scourge of drug trafficking and its attendant social and economic harm.”
