The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared four suspected members of an alleged drug trafficking syndicate wanted over their involvement in the operation of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Imo State, the production of illicit drugs, and the laundering of billions of naira believed to be proceeds of narcotics trafficking.
The wanted suspects were identified as Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna, also known as Odogwu, alongside his alleged associates, Emmanuella Chinonso Iroka, Nnamuka Ifeanyi Kingsley, and Ekechi Franklin Chijioke, popularly known as Ekene Okwunaga.
The anti-narcotics agency announced the development in a statement issued on Friday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed that the declaration followed a court order obtained by the NDLEA as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle the drug syndicate.
According to Babafemi, the suspects were declared wanted pursuant to an order granted by Justice Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State.
The order was issued following an application filed by the NDLEA in Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/22/2026, which was instituted before the court on July 3, 2026.
The agency explained that the court order forms part of a wider investigation into a sophisticated methamphetamine production network uncovered earlier this year in Imo State.
Babafemi recalled that NDLEA operatives had, on February 25, 2026, raided a clandestine drug laboratory located at Isiozi, Umuaka, in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, where they uncovered an illegal methamphetamine manufacturing facility.
During the operation, anti-narcotics officers recovered 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine alongside various chemicals, equipment and materials allegedly used in the illicit production of the highly addictive synthetic drug.
According to the NDLEA, extensive investigations carried out after the raid linked the four wanted suspects to the ownership and operation of the clandestine laboratory.
The agency stated that intelligence gathered through forensic investigations established that the suspects allegedly played key roles in establishing and operating the illegal facility before fleeing their known locations following the raid.
Babafemi disclosed that despite sustained efforts by investigators to apprehend the suspects, they have remained at large and are believed to have gone into hiding.
He explained that the declaration of the suspects as wanted was intended to facilitate their arrest and prosecution in accordance with Nigerian law.
Beyond uncovering the illegal drug production facility, the NDLEA said its investigation exposed an extensive financial network allegedly linked to the drug syndicate.
According to the agency, forensic financial analysis traced multiple bank accounts allegedly connected to the suspects and their operations.
The NDLEA revealed that it secured the freezing of bank accounts linked to members of the syndicate with a cumulative balance of ₦9,840,873,566.66.
The agency described the frozen funds as suspected proceeds derived from illicit drug trafficking activities.
Babafemi further disclosed that investigators also traced several high-value assets allegedly acquired with proceeds from the illegal drug business.
He said the NDLEA had already obtained interim forfeiture orders covering numerous assets believed to belong to members of the syndicate.
Among the assets affected by the forfeiture proceedings is a filling station, which investigators believe was acquired with proceeds generated from narcotics trafficking.
The agency also secured interim forfeiture orders over several multi-storey residential buildings allegedly linked to the suspects.
In addition, four Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) believed to be owned by members of the syndicate have also been seized under the court orders.
The vehicles include SUVs bearing registration numbers RLU 148 AJ, KJA 563 FZ, BWR 249 DY, and FST 208 HU.
According to the NDLEA, the freezing of the bank accounts and seizure of the assets represent significant breakthroughs in its ongoing efforts to dismantle not only drug trafficking operations but also the financial infrastructure supporting such criminal enterprises.
The agency maintained that depriving criminal syndicates of their financial resources remains one of the most effective strategies for combating organised narcotics trafficking.
Reacting to the latest development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended officers involved in the investigation for what he described as a highly successful operation.
Marwa said the operation demonstrates the agency’s determination to pursue major drug traffickers irrespective of the sophistication of their criminal networks.
He noted that the discovery of the clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Imo State and the subsequent financial investigation underscore the NDLEA’s commitment to disrupting every aspect of the illegal drug trade.
According to him, the freezing of nearly ₦10 billion in suspected illicit funds, together with the forfeiture of valuable assets, sends a strong warning to criminal elements involved in narcotics trafficking.
Marwa stressed that individuals engaged in the illegal drug trade would no longer find safe avenues to conceal or legitimise proceeds derived from criminal activities.
He warned that the agency would continue to deploy modern intelligence gathering techniques, forensic investigations and financial surveillance to identify, trace and recover assets acquired through drug trafficking.
The NDLEA chairman also assured Nigerians that the agency would intensify efforts to apprehend the four fleeing suspects and every other individual connected to the syndicate.
He said no member of the criminal network would be allowed to evade justice regardless of how long they remained in hiding.
According to Marwa, the agency remains committed to invoking every legal instrument available to ensure that drug traffickers are arrested, prosecuted and stripped of assets acquired through unlawful means.
He added that the NDLEA would continue collaborating with relevant law enforcement and financial institutions to monitor suspicious transactions linked to organised drug trafficking groups.
Marwa also appealed to members of the public to support ongoing investigations by providing useful information that could lead to the arrest of the wanted suspects.
He urged anyone with credible intelligence regarding the whereabouts of Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna, Emmanuella Chinonso Iroka, Nnamuka Ifeanyi Kingsley or Ekechi Franklin Chijioke to report such information to the nearest NDLEA command or through the agency’s confidential reporting channels.
According to him, public cooperation remains vital in the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime.
He reiterated that the NDLEA remains resolute in its mission to rid Nigerian communities of illicit drugs and dismantle criminal organisations responsible for the manufacture, distribution and laundering of proceeds from narcotics.
Marwa further noted that beyond enforcing drug laws, the agency is committed to protecting public health and national security by preventing the proliferation of dangerous substances such as methamphetamine, which continues to pose serious social, economic and security challenges across the country.
The declaration of the four suspects as wanted marks the latest phase in the NDLEA’s expanding crackdown on major drug trafficking syndicates, with investigators intensifying efforts to locate the fugitives and recover additional assets suspected to be linked to the criminal enterprise.
