The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared a major drug kingpin, Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna (also known as “Odogwu”), and three of his associates wanted for their alleged involvement in the establishment of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory and drug money laundering.
The other wanted suspects are Emmanuella Chinonso Iroka, Nnamuka Ifeanyi Kingsley, and Ekechi Franklin Chijioke (a.k.a Ekene Okwunaga).
The declaration was made following an order by Justice Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State, on a suit filed by NDLEA.
The development stems from the discovery of a methamphetamine production laboratory on February 25, 2026, at Isiozi in Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, where 18.4 kilograms of the illicit substance and other items were recovered.
NDLEA operatives, through forensic and financial investigations, linked the suspects to the lab. They have since gone into hiding.
The agency has since frozen bank accounts linked to the suspects with a combined balance of N9,840,873,566.66 (Nine Billion, Eight Hundred and Forty Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Six Naira, Sixty-Six Kobo).
Additionally, NDLEA has secured interim forfeiture orders on several high-value assets belonging to the syndicate, including a filling station, multi-storey residential buildings and four Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
Reacting to the breakthrough, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the operatives involved and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug cartels.
“This latest operation reaffirms our unwavering commitment to tracking down drug kingpins… The discovery of this clandestine methamphetamine laboratory… and the subsequent freezing of nearly ten billion naira in illicit funds sends an unambiguous message that the illegal drug business is no longer a safe haven for criminals.”
Marwa appealed to members of the public to provide credible information on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects.
This operation highlights NDLEA’s intensified crackdown on drug production and money laundering networks in the country.
