ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared an alleged drug kingpin, Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna, alias Odogwu, and three of his associates wanted over their alleged involvement in operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory and laundering proceeds from illicit drug trafficking.
The anti-narcotics agency also disclosed that it has frozen N9.84 billion traced to the suspects across multiple bank accounts and secured interim forfeiture orders on several high-value assets, including a filling station, multi-storey residential buildings and four sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
The other suspects declared wanted are Emmanuella Chinonso Iroka, Nnamuka Ifeanyi Kingsley and Ekechi Franklin Chijioke, also known as Ekene Okwunaga.
Their declaration followed an order by Justice Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Owerri, in suit No. FHC/OW/CS/22/2026, after an application filed by the NDLEA on July 3, 2026.
The agency recalled that its operatives dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory at Isiozi, Umuaka, in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State on February 25, where 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine and other drug-making materials were recovered.
Subsequent investigations, according to the agency, linked the four suspects to the illegal laboratory, after which they allegedly went into hiding.
The NDLEA said its forensic financial investigation uncovered N9,840,873,566.66 in accounts directly linked to the suspects, leading to the freezing of the funds.
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It added that the court also granted interim forfeiture orders covering properties allegedly acquired with proceeds of drug trafficking, including a filling station, multi-storey residential buildings and four SUVs with registration numbers RLU 148 AJ, KJA 563 FZ, BWR 249 DY and FST 208 HU.
Commending officers involved in the operation, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the breakthrough as a major step in dismantling organised drug trafficking networks and crippling their financial base.
Marwa said the operation demonstrated the agency’s resolve to pursue drug barons and their collaborators irrespective of the sophistication of their criminal networks.
According to him, the seizure of nearly N10 billion in illicit funds and the forfeiture of high-value assets should serve as a strong warning that drug traffickers would no longer be allowed to conceal proceeds of crime through legitimate businesses.
He assured Nigerians that the agency would continue to deploy intelligence-driven financial investigations to trace, freeze and confiscate assets linked to drug trafficking while intensifying efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Marwa also appealed to members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects to report to the nearest NDLEA office or use the agency’s confidential reporting channels.