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…Over N480 billion super clandestine lab, methamphetamine found in Ogun forest

A 63-year-old drug baron, Anochili Innocent, three Mexican nationals and six other Nigerians have been arraigned before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on an 11-count criminal charge bordering on the setting up of a super clandestine laboratory and the production of 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine worth over Four Hundred and Eighty Billion Naira (N480,000,000,000.00) in the international market at Mowe village, Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The defendants: Anochili Innocent, 63; Juan Carlos Meza Torrero, 49; Nemecio Martinez Felix, 46; Jesus López Valles, 40, all Mexican nationals except Anochili; Nwankwo Sunday Christian, 41; Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor, 38; Igwe Abuchi Remijus, 43; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, 23; Omonughwa Kingsley Orike, 45; and Nwobum Emeka, 59, were docked on Friday 10th July 2026 following their arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in coordinated raids in Ogun and Lagos state between 16th and 18th May 2026. on their 2026.

Suspects arrested in the super lab hidden deep inside Mowe forest, Ijebu East LGA of Ogun State, on 16th May are: Nwankwo Sunday Christian; Igwe Abuchi Remijus; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua; and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor; as well as the three Mexican meth experts: Martinez Felix Nemecto; Jesus López Valles; and Torrero Juan Carlos; while the cartel’s mastermind, Anochili Innocent, was simultaneously arrested at his luxury residence located at No. 8 Tafawa Balewa Street, Golf Estate, Lakowe, Lekki area of Lagos state.

In follow-up operations on Monday 18th May 2026, NDLEA operatives stormed another property owned by the baron at House 70, Close 3, Mayfair Estate, Lakowe, Lekki, Lagos where another key member of the syndicate, Kingsley Orike Omonughwa, was arrested after which investigators stormed the residence of another syndicate member, Emeka Nwobum, whose property served as the cartel’s strategic stash house same day.
The 11-count charge, filed by the NDLEA prosecution team accuses the defendants of conspiring, between February and 16th May 2026, to establish a clandestine laboratory for the preparation, processing and production of methamphetamine, in violation of Section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act.

Other counts include managing, organising and financing a drug trafficking organisation contrary to Section 20(1)(g); unlawfully transporting precursor chemicals, including toluene, phenyl-2-propane (P2P), phenyl acetic acid, acetone and hydrochloric acid, from Lagos to the Mowe laboratory using a Toyota Tacoma, a Mercedes Benz marked APP 942 YL and a Toyota Highlander marked GWA 662DJ, contrary to Section 20(1)(f); and the unlawful production and possession of the 2,419.48kg haul of methamphetamine, contrary to Sections 11(a) and 19 of the Act respectively.

The charge sheet further details the separate possession of large quantities of precursor chemicals recovered at the laboratory, including 358kg of toluene, 1,834kg of hydrochloric acid and 22.5kg of acetone, alongside quantities of P2P and phenyl acetic acid, all contrary to Section 20(1)(e) of the NDLEA Act.

In a count peculiar to only the kingpin, Anochili Innocent, described by the Agency as the owner of the fenced expanse of land on which the super lab was sited, he was charged separately under Section 12 of the NDLEA Act for unlawfully allowing his property to be used for the production of the illicit drug.

All ten defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read before Justice Kakaki. The prosecution thereafter called seven witnesses to commence trial having served the defence the proof of evidence since 3rd of July 2026 but the defence objected asking for more time. The court consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Correctional Centre Lagos with the case adjourned to the 16th and 22nd of July for trial and hearing of the application for bail.
Speaking on the arraignment, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) said the case represents one of the most significant dismantling of an industrial-scale narcotics production operation on Nigerian soil, underscoring the increasingly transnational character of drug trafficking networks now desperate to exploit Nigeria as a manufacturing base for onward export.
“The presence of Mexican nationals among those arrested and arraigned today speaks to the alarming reach of international drug cartels now attempting to entrench themselves in Nigeria, but the Agency will not relent in tracking down and dismantling every such network, no matter how well concealed or well-financed”, Marwa stated.
He reiterated NDLEA’s commitment to ridding Nigeria of drug cartels and their local collaborators, and called on members of the public to continue providing useful information to support the Agency’s operations nationwide.

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Security operatives have repelled a suspected bandit attack on Gangaren Makurdi Village in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The development was contained in a post shared on X by security analyst, Bakatsine on Friday.

According to the post, the suspected bandits entered the village on Thursday night, prompting residents to make a distress call to security authorities.

Troops of the 17 Brigade, working together with members of the Vigilante Group and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), responded quickly to the emergency.

The swift deployment of the joint security team reportedly forced the attackers to flee before they could carry out any attack on the community.

“Last night, bandits entered Gangaren Makurdi village in Bakori LGA of Katsina State, prompting a distress alert to security authorities.

“Troops of 17 Brigade, in collaboration with Vigilante Group and CJTF operatives, responded swiftly. Their rapid deployment forced the bandits to flee before they could carry out an attack.

“Kudos to the troops, Vigilante Group and CJTF operatives for their swift response, professionalism and commitment to protecting lives and communities,” Bakatsine wrote.

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The Vice President of Zambia, Mutale Nalumango, on Thursday, narrowly escaped unhurt after a Zambian Air Force helicopter carrying her crashed shortly after take-off in Nakonde District, Muchinga Province.

According to Zambian authorities, Nalumango was travelling with seven other people when the aircraft went down.

All eight occupants survived the incident without injuries.

An investigation has also been launched to determine what led to the accident, but authorities have confirmed that everyone aboard the aircraft is safe.

The vice-president had been in the northern district on official duties before the incident.

In other news, a Zambian court has sentenced Leonard Phiri and Mozambican Jasten Mabulesse Candunde to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema.News

The two men were arrested in December 2025 after being found with charms, including a live chameleon, which prosecutors said were intended for a deadly ritual.

Delivering judgment, Magistrate Fine Mayambu described the convicts as a danger to society.

“It is my considered view that the convicts were not only the enemy of the head of state but were also enemies of all Zambians,” he said.

The court heard that a fugitive former MP allegedly hired the men. Despite claiming to be traditional healers, they were convicted on two counts under the Witchcraft Act.

Magistrate Mayambu said the accused admitted owning the charms and even demonstrated how they intended to use them.