NDLEA intercepts 10,000 Captagon pills in Kwara, seizes millions of Opioids nationwide

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a consignment of the amphetamine-based drug, Captagon, in Kwara State, as part of a series of coordinated anti-narcotics operations across the country.

Captagon, a highly addictive stimulant widely abused in parts of the Middle East, is known for inducing prolonged wakefulness, euphoria and reduced fear. Security experts have often linked the substance to criminal syndicates and insurgent networks.

The latest interception followed an earlier seizure at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara State on April 21, 2026, intercepted a trailer conveying a passenger, Nasiru Mu’azu, 33. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 10 packs of Captagon comprising 10,000 pills, as well as nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg.

In a separate operation at the same location on April 24, officers intercepted another trailer and uncovered a large cache of opioids concealed in a false compartment. Recovered items 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.

In Oyo State, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Ibadan/Oyo Expressway on April 21. A passenger, Eze Prince Emeka, 33, was subjected to a body scan which confirmed ingestion of illicit drugs.

READ ALSO: NDLEA intercepts cocaine in food flasks, cannabis in cement trailer

Over three excretion sessions, the suspect expelled 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms. Investigations revealed that he allegedly intended to transport the drugs to Europe through trans-Saharan routes, using Algeria as a transit point after an initial stop in Sokoto.

In Edo State, operatives on April 25 intercepted a truck along the Benin/Lagos expressway carrying 1,196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids. Two suspects, Osagie Igbinibo, 43, and Omijie Malik, 44, were arrested. The consignment was reportedly destined for Onitsha, Anambra State.

Other operations across the country resulted in additional seizures and arrests.

In Lagos, Rasheed Ibuowo, 40, was apprehended with 810 kilograms of cannabis. In Bauchi State, Muktar Bello, 35, was arrested with 288 blocks of skunk weighing 154.5 kilograms.

In Ekiti State, operatives recovered 466.8 kilograms of skunk from a residence, while in Cross River State, officers destroyed 20,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on farmland.

Meanwhile, in Niger State, NDLEA seized 394 components suspected to be used for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from a suspect, Mohammed Aliyu, 26. He has been handed over to relevant security agencies for further investigation.

Chairman of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations, describing the Captagon seizure as a significant disruption of drug trafficking networks.

He warned that Captagon remains a prime target for traffickers due to its association with violence and insecurity, stressing that the agency would continue intensifying surveillance, interdiction and intelligence-led operations to prevent its spread across Nigeria.

The latest wave of seizures underscores ongoing efforts by the NDLEA to dismantle drug supply chains and curb the proliferation of narcotics nationwide.