The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a major family-run drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, arresting a couple, their two daughters, and a family friend in a sweeping operation that exposed one of the most brazen domestic drug networks uncovered in recent years.
The syndicate, led by Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, was first busted on Friday, June 13, when operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested the couple in the Ojo area of Lagos and handed them over to the NDLEA. The duo was caught in possession of 277.5 kilograms of skunk, a highly potent strain of cannabis.
However, even as the couple remained in custody, intelligence reports revealed that their drug business continued to operate actively from their home. This prompted a follow-up raid by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, July 1, at the couple’s residence and a nearby storage facility. During the raid, another 231 kilograms of skunk was recovered.
Shockingly, the operation was being run in the couple’s absence by their daughters — Ngozi Uchenna and Blessing Uchenna — along with a family friend, Okoro Elijah, who were all arrested during the raid. The bust confirmed that the illicit operation was a full-fledged family enterprise involving multiple generations and trusted associates.
The agency has since taken all five suspects into custody and launched further investigations into the extent of the syndicate’s operations and distribution networks across Lagos and possibly other states.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the Lagos Command for the successful intelligence-led operation. He described the discovery of an entire family embedded in drug trafficking as “deeply troubling and a sign of how organised and domestic the trade has become.”
This Lagos bust is part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking in the state, which also saw cocaine hidden in lipsticks and property documents intercepted at courier firms, and suspected counterfeit travellers’ cheques worth $17.7 million AUD seized at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Still, the exposure of a family-centered drug empire sends a strong message about the scale and sophistication of the drug problem in Lagos — and the resolve of the NDLEA to root it out at every level.