Court Remands Two Mexicans, Four Nigerians Over Oyo Forest Meth Lab

The 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 a forest in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area.

Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha issued the order on Friday after the six defendants pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The defendants are Mexican nationals Jose Villa Ochoa, 56, and Carrera Loaiza Arturo, 40, alongside Nigerians Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43.

According to the NDLEA, Villa Ochoa and the four Nigerians were arrested on June 17, 2026, in a forested area of Tapa village. Arturo was subsequently arrested on August 19 at the Lagos airport while allegedly attempting to leave the country.

The agency accused the defendants of conspiring to operate a drug trafficking organisation and establishing an illegal laboratory for the production of methamphetamine between December 2025 and June 2026 at different locations in Lagos and Oyo states.

They were also accused of unlawfully transporting and distributing chemical substances intended for the manufacture of the controlled psychotropic substance.

The charges were brought under provisions of the NDLEA Act relating to illicit drug production and the handling of substances used in manufacturing illegal drugs.

After the charges were read to them in a language they understood, all six defendants denied the allegations.

Justice Maha ordered that they be remanded at the correctional centre in Ibadan and fixed January 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2027, for trial.

The case is part of a wider investigation into alleged clandestine methamphetamine production facilities in the South-West.

In a related development, three other Mexican nationals and seven Nigerians arrested over an alleged methamphetamine laboratory in a forest hideout in Ogun State were also remanded after appearing before the Federal High Court in Lagos. Their bail application was reportedly rejected, with the court ordering an accelerated hearing.

The defendants in the Oyo case remain accused persons, and the allegations against them are yet to be determined by the court.