Court inspects Meth Lab in Southwest state

By Philippine Duru

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The Federal High Court has conducted an on-site inspection of an alleged clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Ogun State, marking a significant milestone in the trial of 10 defendants accused of operating a multi-billion-naira international drug manufacturing syndicate.

Justice Musa Kakaki led the inspection of the sprawling facility located in a remote forest in Mowe, Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, where the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) alleged that the accused established and operated an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory capable of producing large quantities of the illicit drug for export to international markets.

The 10 defendants, comprising three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerians, are facing an 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy, the establishment and operation of a clandestine laboratory, production of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of precursor chemicals, and financing a drug trafficking organisation. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During the inspection, the prosecution’s first witness and NDLEA laboratory expert, Ajilema Anebi, guided the judge, prosecution team and defence counsel through various sections of the facility. He identified industrial processing equipment, chemical reactors, storage units and precursor substances allegedly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Anebi told the court that the laboratory possessed the capacity to produce substantial quantities of methamphetamine intended for international distribution, describing it as evidence of the growing activities of transnational drug trafficking organisations operating within Nigeria.

According to the prosecution, the laboratory was used to manufacture about 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of more than ₦480 billion. Prosecutors further alleged that members of the syndicate transported large volumes of precursor chemicals, including toluene, hydrochloric acid, acetone and other substances, from Lagos to the forest hideout where the drugs were produced.

However, defence counsel challenged aspects of the prosecution’s case during the inspection, arguing that although the court had been shown production equipment and chemical substances, the prosecution had yet to establish a direct link between the recovered materials and the finished methamphetamine allegedly produced by the defendants.

Following the inspection, Justice Kakaki adjourned the matter until July 24 to continue hearing arguments on the admissibility of exhibits and to rule on an application by the NDLEA seeking the court’s approval to destroy the alleged methamphetamine laboratory on grounds of safety and security.

The case originated from a major NDLEA operation conducted in May, during which operatives dismantled what the agency described as the largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratory ever uncovered in Nigeria. The operation led to the arrest of the three Mexican nationals, who were allegedly recruited to supervise the manufacturing process, alongside seven Nigerian collaborators accused of handling logistics and local operations.

The anti-narcotics agency also recovered more than 2.4 tonnes of methamphetamine and large quantities of precursor chemicals with an estimated street value exceeding ₦480 billion, describing the seizure as one of the country’s biggest drug busts.

Commenting on the operation, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the discovery as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s fight against organised transnational crime. He warned that international drug cartels were increasingly establishing sophisticated manufacturing facilities in remote forest locations across the country in an attempt to evade law enforcement agencies.

1. The outcome of the trial is expected to have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s anti-drug enforcement efforts, as authorities intensify measures to dismantle transnational drug trafficking networks and prevent the country from becoming a hub for the manufacture and export of illicit narcotics.