Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of the illicit drug “Captagon” in Kwara State, as part of a series of nationwide raids that also led to major seizures of opioids, cannabis, and suspected explosive materials across multiple states.
In a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday, the agency said the interception marks a significant breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking networks, coming five years after Nigeria recorded the first known seizure of Captagon in Africa at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos.
Captagon is described as a highly addictive amphetamine-type stimulant linked to organised criminal groups and militias in the Middle East.
According to NDLEA, the drug is often used to keep users awake for long periods, reduce fear, and encourage extreme behaviour, making it a concern in both criminal and security contexts.
In the Kwara operation, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Bode Saadu road on 21 April 2026 intercepted a trailer conveying passengers.
“Its production and sale are controlled by militias and large criminal groups linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as a means of generating funds for weapons and combatants, and for use as a stimulant to keep them fighting,” the agency said.
“The latest seizure of captagon, which street value costs as much as $25 a pill, was made on Tuesday 21st April 2026 when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu road, Kwara state intercepted a trailer conveying passengers,” NDLEA said.
“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 days later at the same axis, officers intercepted another trailer with large quantities of opioids hidden in a false compartment.
A suspect, 24-year-old Aminu Isah, was arrested in connection with the seizure, which included tramadol capsules, injections, and other controlled substances.
Elsewhere, in Oyo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial bus along the Ibadan–Oyo expressway, where a passenger, Eze Prince Emeka, was found to have ingested cocaine pellets. He was placed under observation and later excreted 45 wraps of cocaine weighing over 1 kilogram.
The agency said the suspect, who posed as a businessman, allegedly attempted to evade airport detection by ingesting the drugs and planned to transport them through a trans-Saharan route. NDLEA stated that further investigation revealed the suspect intended to excrete the drugs, rest briefly, and re-ingest them for continued movement towards Europe.
The agency said, “The suspect who claims to be a businessman in Sokoto was subsequently placed under close excretion observation during which he excreted a total of forty-five (45) pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 1.043 kilograms in three excretions.
“The decision to travel by road to Sokoto with the illicit drug in his stomach was to evade detection by NDLEA at the airport while further investigation reveals that upon arrival in Sokoto, the suspect was to excrete the pellets, rest for a few days, and subsequently re-ingest the substances to continue the journey through the trans-Saharan routes, with Algeria as a transit point and possible final destination in Europe.”
In Edo State, officers intercepted a truck along the Benin–Lagos expressway carrying more than 1.1 million pills of pharmaceutical opioids concealed among other goods.
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the shipment, which was reportedly destined for Onitsha, Anambra State.
Other operations across the country included the arrest of a suspect transporting over 800 kilograms of cannabis in Lagos, the seizure of 154.5 kilograms of skunk in Bauchi, and the recovery of 466.8 kilograms of cannabis in Ekiti State.
In Cross River State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 20,000 kilograms of skunk cultivated on an eight-hectare cannabis farm during a raid supported by military personnel. The agency also recovered processed cannabis from the site.
In Niger State, officers intercepted a suspect conveying 394 pieces of suspected improvised explosive device (IED) components along the Kontagora–Zuru Road. The materials and suspect have been handed over to relevant security agencies for further investigation.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations, describing the Kwara seizure of Captagon as a major disruption of drug trafficking networks.
“We are not just seizing pills; we are disrupting the fuel that powers violence in our communities. Our operatives remain on high alert across all frontiers to ensure this illicit trade finds no foothold,” he said.
Marwa added that the interception of Captagon was particularly significant due to its historical links to insurgent financing and violent groups, stressing that the agency would continue to intensify efforts to prevent Nigeria from becoming a transit hub for dangerous substances.
