A Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has ordered the remand of two Mexican nationals and four Nigerians over their alleged involvement in the establishment and operation of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha on a four-count charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The Mexican nationals are Jose Villa Ochoa, 56, and Carrera Loaiza Arturo, 40. The four Nigerians are Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43.
According to the NDLEA, Ochoa and the four Nigerian defendants were arrested on June 17, 2026, by operatives in a forested area of Tapa village. Arturo was later arrested on August 19 at the Lagos airport while allegedly attempting to leave the country.
The charge accused the defendants of conspiring to operate a drug trafficking organisation and establishing a clandestine laboratory for methamphetamine production between December 2025 and June 2026 at locations in Lagos and Oyo states.
They were also accused of unlawfully transporting and distributing chemical substances intended for the manufacture of the psychotropic drug, contrary to provisions of the NDLEA Act.
All six defendants pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to them in a language they understood.
Following their pleas, Justice Maha ordered that they be remanded at the Correctional Centre in Ibadan. The case was adjourned until January 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2027, for trial.
In a related development, three other Mexican nationals and seven Nigerians arrested over an alleged methamphetamine laboratory in a forest hideout in Ogun State have also been remanded. The court in Lagos reportedly rejected their bail application and ordered an accelerated hearing.
The allegations against the defendants have yet to be established in court.
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