Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a fresh consignment of the notorious stimulant known as Captagon in Kwara State, as part of a sweeping nationwide crackdown that also led to multiple arrests, major drug seizures, and the recovery of explosive materials.
The agency, in a statement by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, disclosed that operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara intercepted a passenger, 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, with 10,000 pills of Captagon – an amphetamine widely associated with militant groups in the Middle East.
The seizure marks a renewed attempt by traffickers to reintroduce the drug into Nigeria nearly five years after its first recorded interception at Apapa seaport in Lagos.
Captagon, often referred to as a “terror drug,” is known for inducing prolonged wakefulness, heightened aggression, and reduced fear, making it a substance reportedly exploited by extremist groups, including Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), to sustain combat operations.
Babafemi said the latest seizure of captagon, which street value costs as much as $25 a pill, was made last Tuesday when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu road, Kwara State intercepted a trailer conveying passengers.
A search conducted on one of the passengers, 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu led to the recovery of 10 packs of captagon consisting of 10,000 pills and nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg.
In a related operation at the same patrol point, NDLEA officers intercepted a truck concealing large quantities of controlled drugs, including tramadol capsules, injections, and other sedatives hidden in a specially constructed compartment.
He said in another interdiction operation at the Bode Saadu patrol point, NDLEA officers on Friday 24th April intercepted a trailer marked RMY-70XA.
A search of the truck led to the recovery of 155,900 capsules of tramadol; 6,000 ampuoles of tramadol injection; 3,000 tablets of Co-Codamol and 9,000 tablets of Bromazepam, concealed in a false compartment constructed under the trailer.
A 24-year-old suspect Aminu Isah has been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.
Meanwhile, in Oyo State, operatives uncovered a sophisticated drug trafficking attempt involving ingestion. A 33-year-old businessman, Eze Emeka, was apprehended along the Ibadan-Oyo expressway after a body scan confirmed he had swallowed illicit substances.
Under observation, he excreted 45 wraps of cocaine weighing over one kilogramme. Investigations revealed he intended to smuggle the drugs via trans-Saharan routes through Algeria into Europe.
Further operations across the country yielded significant results. In Edo State, officers intercepted a truck carrying over 1.1 million opioid pills bound for Onitsha, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
In Lagos, a suspect was caught transporting 810 kilograms of a potent cannabis strain, while in Bauchi, another individual was arrested with over 150 kilograms of skunk.
In Ekiti, nearly 470 kilogrammes of cannabis were recovered from a residential building, while a major raid in Cross River State led to the destruction of 20,000 kilogrammes of cannabis cultivated across eight hectares of farmland.
In a development highlighting the intersection of drug trafficking and security threats, NDLEA operatives in Niger State seized 394 components used in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from a suspect.
The materials have been handed over to relevant security agencies for further investigation.
Chairman of NDLEA, Buba Marwa, described the Captagon seizure as a significant breakthrough and a warning sign of attempts by criminal networks to revive dormant trafficking routes.
“We are not just seizing drugs; we are dismantling the enablers of violence and insecurity,” Marwa said, assuring Nigerians that the agency remains vigilant in preventing the spread of dangerous substances.
He commended operatives across affected states for maintaining a balance between enforcement and public sensitization through the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, which continues to target schools, communities, and institutions nationwide.
The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that substances like Captagon do not gain a foothold in Nigeria, warning traffickers that enforcement efforts remain intensified across all borders and transit routes.
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