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Two men accused of running a methamphetamine factory in partnership with a Mexican cartel member have been arraigned at the Federal High Court in Enugu, weeks after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered their clandestine laboratory in Enugu State.
Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, 45, alias Brown, and Chukwu Georginus Monday, 60, alias George, were arraigned before Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello on a five-count charge. The charges include conspiracy, organising, managing and financing a drug trafficking organisation, and unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in making methamphetamine, contrary to the NDLEA Act.
After they pleaded, the judge fixed 21 October 2026 for trial, granting the agency’s application for accelerated hearing.
Also named in the charge, but still at large, are Uchenna (alias Uche), Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu and Rodriguez Villanueva, described as a member of a Mexican drug cartel based in Mexico City. The NDLEA says the two defendants worked with Villanueva to run the lab.
According to the agency, operatives of its Special Operations Unit (SOU) had monitored the syndicate for several months. Between 1 and 4 December 2025, they tracked Brown’s movements across Lagos, Enugu and Anambra states, which led them to a compound in Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
There, they found a laboratory with improvised reactors and distillation equipment, capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities. The NDLEA said it resembled similar facilities recently shut down in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.
Items recovered from the site included:
- 690 litres of methylamine
- 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol
- 300 litres of hydrochloric acid
- 290 litres each of toluene and acetone
- 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide
- 125 kg of N-phenylacetamide
- 414 kg of lead acetate
- 769.6 kg of tartaric acid
The agency said the haul is consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine operation. A search of George’s family residence yielded eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators and 11 kg of ephedrine.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), said the bust showed that transnational drug networks would find no space to operate in Nigeria. He vowed to hunt down the fleeing suspects and ensure they face the full weight of the law.
Marwa commended the officers for their professionalism and persistence. He said intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close loopholes exploited by drug barons, local or foreign, and urged personnel to keep up the enforcement drive.
