In another successful counter-narcotics operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the discovery of a clandestine laboratory where Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, is being produced in a residential building in Lagos.
The agency recovered large quantities of freshly cooked Colorado and various precursor chemicals used in drug production, and arrested the 30-year-old lab owner, Stephen Kelechi Imoh.
The discovery followed months of intelligence gathering on possible Colorado laboratories in Lagos after NDLEA officers intercepted consignments of freshly produced Colorado in March and May 2025 in the state.
This development suggests that the dangerous psychoactive substance, which was hitherto imported into the country, was now locally produced.
According to a statement released on Sunday, November 2, by Mr. Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, and emailed to Persecondnews, the effort paid off on Thursday, October 30, when NDLEA officers raided the residential apartment in Ajao Estate, Isolo, Lagos.
The suspect converted the building into a laboratory for cooking Colorado, a strain of cannabis produced with psychoactive substances and various chemicals.
Recovered from the apartment include: freshly cooked Colos weighing 16.2 kilograms; ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol -1.7kg; Potassium Carbonate -4.5kg and Dibromobutane – 91 litres.
The statement reads: “In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, November 1 raided the enclave of a 28-year-old drug dealer Afeez Salisu (alias Malu) in Mushin where 16 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis as well as designer sachets and bottles of Colorado weighing 16.4kg were recovered from him.
“A music artist Godspower George Osahenrumwen whose stage name is Steady Boy was on Thursday, October 30 arrested by NDLEA operatives while attempting to take delivery of a large consignment of Loud, a strain of cannabis concealed inside three cartons of bathtub imported along with other items such as cloths and gadgets from New York, United States.
“This followed the seizure of the shipment which arrived the import shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos from US aboard a DHL flight on Tuesday, October 28.
“The 20-year-old music artist was nabbed at Bougain Villa, Primewater Gardens 2, Freedom way, Lekki Lagos when he showed up as the consignee to take delivery of the 140 bags of Loud with a gross weight of 77.20kg on behalf of a syndicate, which includes his manager, Zion Osazee Omigie (a.k.a Zee Money) who is currently at large.
“In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja – Jos highway on Sunday, October 26 intercepted a consignment of 84,710 capsules of tramadol coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Bauchi. A follow up operation in Bauchi led to the arrest of the recipient Musa Abdulkarim, 27.
“Two days later, Tuesday, October 28, operatives at the tollgate along Abuja – Kaduna highway arrested Hamza Musa, 47, conveying 32, 946 bottles
of Akuskura, a New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) from Lagos, while Saidu Nafiu, 30, was nabbed with 131.5kg skunk at Kamfanin Zangon Aya, Igabi LGA, Kaduna.”
It also read: “Three suspects: Seun Olaniyi, 24; Rauf Asogba, 28; and Ayinla Adeniyi, 50, were on Saturday, November 1 arrested at Abeokuta, Ogun state after a team of NDLEA officers tracked their movement from Benin Republic and eventually intercepted their bus along Abiola way, Abeokuta, with a total 1,779kg skunk recovered from them.
“While Jamilu Mustapha (a.k.a Last Card), 46, was arrested with 596.4kg skunk at Nasaru town, Ningi LGA, Bauchi State on Wednesday, October 29.
“No fewer than 532,600 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from the trio of Halilu Amiru; Rabiu Maikudi and Ibrahim Mati in a truck marked KTG- 791 ZZ at Oko-olowo, Ilorin, Kwara state same day.
“In Edo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Okhokho – Isi community in Uhunmwode LGA on Wednesday, October 29 intercepted two Toyota Sienna buses marked EPE 545 EV and ABC 142 CD conveying a total of 1,455kg skunk following credible intelligence.
“In like manner, operatives in Ondo state on Tuesday, October 28 recovered a total of 2,829kg skunk linked to a 32-year-old female suspect Mrs. Ige Olarewaju from two locations at Ayede, Ogbese, while another suspect Samuel Adebayo was nabbed with 737kg of same psychoactive substance at Adegbola junction, Akure.
“No less than 76.5 litres of skuchies, a mixture of black currant, skunk and opioids were seized from a suspect Ige Oluwale, 50, who was arrested by NDLEA officers at Ibereko, Bagadry, Lagos on Friday, October 31.”
The statement equally read: “A total of 30,370 pills of tramadol and 177 grams of methamphetamine were recovered from the duo of Musbahu Abdullahi, 28; and Saleiman Ahmed, 25, following their arrest at Wukari, Taraba state by operatives on Thursday, October 30 when they were conveying the drugs from Onitsha, Anambra state to Yola, Adamawa state.”
Meanwhile, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Aroje/Abaa Community High School, Ogbomoso, Oyo state;
Amazing Flower Secondary School, Maya, Ikorodu, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Ilelah, Sokoto; Government Day Secondary School, Darina, Gwiwa LGA, Jigawa Royal Star Academy, Hayin Gwarmai, Bebeji LGA, Kano state, among others.
The NDLEA Chairman/CEO, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, Edo, Kwara, Ogun, Taraba, Ondo, Seme, and Bauchi Commands as well as their compatriots across the country for their resilience, professionalism and balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the country.
He vowed that the agency will continue to target and dismantle every identified drug syndicate in any part of Nigeria while denying them of the benefits of the proceeds of their criminal trade by ensuring that they forfeit all their traceable assets to the Federal Government.
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