Oyo Forest Meth Lab: Court Remands Two Mexicans, Four Nigerians As NDLEA Uncovers Drug Manufacturing Network

Daud Olatunji

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has ordered the remand of two Mexican nationals and four Nigerians over their alleged involvement in the operation of an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in a forest at Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The six defendants were remanded at a correctional facility in Ibadan after pleading not guilty to a four-count charge bordering on the alleged unlawful transportation and distribution of chemical substances for the production of methamphetamine, a highly addictive illicit drug.

The defendants were identified as two Mexican nationals, Jose Villa Ochoa and Carrera Loaiza Arturo, alongside four Nigerians, Maxwell Uche Nevoh, Olatunji Yusuf, Bankole Akeem Owolabi and Ganiu Monsiu.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency disclosed that Ochoa and four of the Nigerian suspects were arrested on June 17, 2026, while Arturo was apprehended on August 19, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, as he allegedly attempted to flee the country.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed the development in a statement on Friday, said investigations indicated that Ochoa was brought into Nigeria to provide technical expertise for the large-scale production of methamphetamine.

He added that the Nigerian suspects allegedly handled the logistics and local operations of the drug manufacturing facility.

According to the agency, the defendants were arraigned before Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha, where they pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.

Following their pleas, the judge ordered that the six defendants be remanded at the correctional centre in Ibadan pending further proceedings.

The development comes amid renewed concerns over the establishment of clandestine drug manufacturing facilities in different parts of the country.

In September, the NDLEA announced the discovery of another industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi State, raising fresh concerns about the activities of suspected drug manufacturing networks and the circulation of illicit substances.

The discovery of the Oyo facility, particularly its location in a forested community, has also drawn attention to the potential use of remote locations to conceal illegal drug manufacturing operations.

Methamphetamine, commonly known as meth, is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant associated with serious health and social consequences.

The latest arrests underscore the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking and manufacturing networks operating within Nigeria.

The defendants, however, remain entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

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