The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a significant consignment of Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine notorious for its links to insurgency and organised crime in Kwara State.
A statement by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said that agency officers on routine patrol along Bode Saadu Road intercepted a passenger vehicle, marking the breakthrough on April 21, 2026.
A search of one of the occupants, 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, led to the discovery of 10,000 pills of Captagon.
Authorities also recovered nine packets of Tapentadol, a potent opioid, from the suspect.
Captagon, widely abused in parts of the Middle East, is known for its ability to induce extreme alertness, suppress fear, and heighten aggression, traits that have made it a drug of choice among militant groups.
Its production and trafficking have been associated with criminal syndicates and extremist organisations, including those linked to ISIS, raising serious security concerns about its presence in Africa.
In a related operation at the same Bode Saadu checkpoint on April 24, NDLEA operatives intercepted another trailer concealing a large cache of pharmaceuticals in a specially constructed hidden compartment.
The haul included 155,900 capsules of tramadol, 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection, 3,000 tablets of co-codamol, and 9,000 tablets of bromazepam. A 24-year-old suspect, Aminu Isah, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
Elsewhere, in Oyo State, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Ibadan/Oyo expressway and arrested a passenger, Eze Prince Emeka, who was found to have ingested illicit drugs. Under observation, the suspect excreted 45 pellets of cocaine weighing over one kilogram. Investigations revealed he intended to smuggle the drugs through trans-Saharan routes to Europe, using Algeria as a transit point.
Further operations across the country yielded additional significant seizures. In Edo State, two suspects were arrested with over 1.1 million pills of pharmaceutical opioids concealed in a truck bound for Onitsha. In Lagos, a suspect was apprehended with 810 kilograms of a cannabis strain known as “Arizona,” while in Bauchi State, another individual was caught with 154.5 kilograms of skunk.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives recovered 466.8 kilograms of skunk from a residence, while in Cross River State, a joint operation with the military led to the destruction of 20,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated across eight hectares of farmland.
In a separate development, NDLEA officers in Niger State intercepted a suspect transporting 394 components used in the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The suspect and materials have been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
Commending the efforts of officers across multiple state commands, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the Captagon seizure as a major disruption of attempts to revive a dangerous drug pipeline into Nigeria.
“We are not just seizing pills; we are disrupting the fuel that powers violence in our communities,” Marwa said. “Our operatives remain on high alert to ensure that this illicit trade finds no foothold.”
He emphasised the importance of maintaining operational momentum, noting that the balance between drug supply reduction and public sensitisation remains key to winning the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.
