A Federal High Court in Lagos is set to decide on Friday, July 24, whether the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) can destroy a massive clandestine methamphetamine laboratory uncovered in a remote forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The application will be determined by Justice Musa Kakaki, who fixed the ruling date after a special court session held on Wednesday at the site of the illegal laboratory in Mowe village. The facility, hidden deep within the Abidagba Forest, is believed to have served as a major production centre for methamphetamine allegedly destined for international drug markets.
The court proceedings are part of the ongoing prosecution of three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerians, who were arraigned by the NDLEA on July 10 over an 11-count charge relating to the alleged establishment, operation, financing, and management of the illegal drug manufacturing facility.
According to the anti-narcotics agency, its operatives recovered sophisticated equipment and large volumes of chemicals used in the production of 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value exceeding ₦480 billion. The agency described the laboratory as one of the largest clandestine meth production facilities ever uncovered in Nigeria.
The defendants, who all pleaded not guilty, are accused of manufacturing and possessing methamphetamine, a highly addictive psychotropic substance classified alongside dangerous narcotics such as cocaine, heroin, and LSD. Prosecutors also alleged that the group coordinated a drug trafficking network responsible for transporting precursor chemicals from Lagos to the hidden laboratory in Ogun State.
Among the chemicals allegedly recovered during the operation were toluene, phenyl-2-propanone, phenylacetic acid, acetone, and hydrochloric acid, all of which are commonly associated with the illegal production of methamphetamine. The NDLEA further alleged that the suspects possessed 358 kilograms of toluene, 1,834 kilograms of hydrochloric acid, and 22.5 kilograms of acetone, intended for drug manufacturing.
The prosecution also claimed that the chemicals and equipment were transported using several vehicles, including a Toyota Tacoma, a Mercedes-Benz, and a Toyota Highlander, which have been linked to the alleged operation.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the prosecution presented its first witness, Ajilema Anebi, an expert in clandestine drug laboratories. Anebi told the court that scientific analysis conducted by his team confirmed that the substances and equipment recovered from the site were used for the production and storage of large quantities of methamphetamine intended for export.
He explained how chemicals such as alcohol and hydrochloric acid are used during different stages of methamphetamine production and tendered exhibits relating to the laboratory equipment and chemicals recovered from the facility. The court had earlier admitted the inventory of the recovered materials into evidence.
Following the witness’s testimony, NDLEA prosecuting counsel, Adekunle Adebanjo, urged the court to consider the agency’s pending application seeking approval to demolish the illegal laboratory. However, defence counsel, led by Benson Ndakara, challenged parts of the prosecution’s evidence and raised objections to some of the exhibits presented before the court.
After listening to submissions from both parties, Justice Kakaki adjourned the matter until July 24 for a ruling on the NDLEA’s application. The decision will determine whether the agency can immediately destroy the laboratory or preserve it pending the conclusion of the trial.
The clandestine facility is believed to have been operated by the Anochili Innocent Drug Trafficking Organisation, a criminal network allegedly involved in the large-scale production and distribution of illicit drugs. According to NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), the laboratory was uncovered in May 2026 following months of coordinated intelligence-led operations across Lagos and Ogun states.
The Ogun discovery is not an isolated case. In June 2026, NDLEA operatives also dismantled another multi-billion-naira clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Oyo State, arresting five suspects, including a Mexican national alleged to have been recruited to provide technical expertise for the illegal operation.
The series of discoveries highlights the growing sophistication of transnational drug trafficking networks operating within Nigeria and underscores the NDLEA’s intensified efforts to dismantle illicit drug production facilities across the country. Friday’s ruling is expected to determine the fate of one of the country’s largest illegal methamphetamine laboratories while the criminal trial against the accused persons continues.
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