Buba Marwa, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA), has revealed details about the discovery of a laboratory used
for the production of methamphetamine in Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos.
NigerianEye had reported that a leaked memo revealed that the
NDLEA discovered a meth laboratory domiciled in an apartment at K-5A/2, Road
14, VGC.
The memo said the NDLEA arrested one Emeka Nzewi, a tenant
who had been wanted by NDLEA since 2017.
The memo was signed by Yusuff Morufat, general manager of Victoria Garden City Property Owners and Residents Association (VGCPORA).
Marwa, in a press briefing on Tuesday, said the owner of the
meth laboratory identified as “Chris Emeka Nzewi” was producing the “toxic
drug” in a house where he lives with his family.
The NDLEA chairman said a three-month-old baby was also
living in the house, adding that public health is of no concern to the owner of
the laboratory.
Marwa also announced the arrest of one Paul Ozoemenam, who
allegedly owns a meth laboratory located in Nise community, Awka south LGA,
Anambra state.
“The first one,
located in Victoria Garden City (VGC) estate of Lekki, Lagos, is owned by a
baron, Chris Emeka Nzewi, while the second, in Nise Community of Awka South
Local Government Area of Anambra State was owned by Paul Ozoemenam,” the NDLEA
chairman said.
“The owners of these two illicit meth laboratories were
successfully arrested alongside Sunday Ukah from Aba, Abia State, the cook or
chemist that produced the drugs for them.
“The laboratory in Lagos was set up inside the boys’ quarter
building of a four-bedroom duplex. From there, we recovered a total of 258.74
kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals used for
the production of the toxic drug.
“The complete paraphernalia of laboratory equipment such as
gas cylinders, giant gas burners, industrial face masks, industrial gloves,
tubes and flat-bottomed conical flasks, among others were also found.”
“The owner of the laboratory in VGC, for instance, was
producing this highly unstable and toxic drug in a house where he lived with
his family.
“This speaks volumes about his insensitivity to the
consequences of exposing his family, which includes a three-month old baby, to
the danger of hazardous chemicals. If that is the case, that is an indication
that public health was of no concern to him.
“In this particular case, aside from the laboratory being
close to the kitchen of the main house, the waste from the laboratory was
channelled into the septic tank and soakaway in the compound, with a high risk
of contamination of the water table of the entire neighbourhood.
“On average, the lab produced 50 kilos of methamphetamine
every week with plans underway to increase the capacity of production to at
least 100kg per week.
“Where do these drugs
end? From our preliminary interrogation, we now know the drugs from this lab
were both for export and local consumption.
“We also know there is a supply chain of distributors and
buyers for export and the domestic market.
“When you consider the fact that the price of this dangerous
drug was going for as high as US500,000 per kilo in the international market in
recent time, you will understand why Nzewi cared less to put the lives of his
own family at risk by producing this in the same house where they live.
“Hence, taking these two labs out of operation is a major
feat in our continuing effort to curb the meth problem.”
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