High Court Approves Destruction of Nigeria’s Largest Meth Lab Valued At Over 480 Billion
Lagos-based Federal High Court have given the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) the green light to proceed to the destruction of over 480bn illicit methamphetamine production site uncovered in a remote forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun state.
The development is a major twist in one of Nigeria’s largest drugs prosecutions, comes after Justice Musa Kakaki granted an ex-parte application filed by the anti-narcotic agency citing extreme security and health concerns from the lab facility to its neighbours.
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But in an order, the court ordered the destruction should however exclude those involving disputed chemical content and asked them to remain under safe keeping and only be used as exhibits until the final determination of the ongoing criminal suit.
It was only recently that court sat and heard proceedings inside the illegal Meth factory located at Abidagba forest, Iloti Village, following a rarity of court proceedings at the clandestine laboratory, its surrounding environment and facility facilities. There, Judge, prosecution lawyers, defence counsels, Court Staff all inspected it’s equipment.
Recall, NDLEA on the 10th of July, this year had charged two nationals from the Mexican government alongside seven Nigerian residents in relation to the alleged operation of a massive methamphetamine production site and conspiracy on 11count of conspiracy, the charge states that 2,419.48 kg of such product valued over 480bn Naira in illicit markets of drug were stored in a facility where several drug-making precursors, industrial equipments were discovered. They pleaded non-guilty.
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The prosecute led testimony by Mr Ajilema Anebi anNDlea methamphetamine-production- expert, whom claimed, after scientific analyses on the illicit drugs and facilities proved they were involved in production and export of methamphetamine when the chemical precursors like, hydrochloric acid; methylamine and; toluene,2 and 4-substituted-phenyl-2,5-endoxycyclic[3,3,1] nonane-3,8-dione (euglone-8-one);4 -amino -2- -hydroxysibane were extracted.
NDLEA also argued that the syndicate group were behind sophisticated drug trafficking across the nation and was exporting precursors from the Lagos side in order to keep their operations covert from their secret location in the woods of Ogun state.
