NDLEA Intercepts Captagon in Kwara, Seizes 1.1m Opioid Pills in Edo as Suspect Excretes 45 Cocaine Pellets
Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on illicit drug trafficking, intercepting a consignment of the dangerous stimulant Captagon in Kwara State, arresting a suspected trafficker who excreted 45 wraps of cocaine in Oyo, and seizing over 1.1 million opioid pills in Edo, alongside multiple nationwide busts targeting cannabis and explosive materials.
Barely five years after its first major seizure of the synthetic stimulant Captagon at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has again intercepted the substance—this time in Kwara State.
The latest operation, carried out on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, saw NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu Road intercept a passenger aboard a commercial trailer. A search led to the discovery of 10,000 pills of Captagon concealed in 10 packs, along with nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, was taken into custody.
Captagon, an amphetamine-type stimulant notorious in parts of the Middle East, is known for inducing prolonged wakefulness, heightened alertness, and reduced fear, making it attractive to criminal networks and insurgent groups.
In a separate operation at the same patrol point on April 24, NDLEA officers intercepted another trailer marked RMY-70XA. A hidden compartment beneath the vehicle revealed a large cache of controlled substances, including 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.
Meanwhile, in Oyo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial bus along the Ibadan/Oyo Expressway. A passenger, Eze Prince Emeka, 33, was subjected to a body scan which confirmed ingestion of illicit drugs. Under observation, he excreted 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms.
Investigations revealed that the suspect intended to transport the drugs through a trans-Saharan route, with Algeria as a transit point and Europe as the final destination. He reportedly opted for road travel to evade airport screening.
In Edo State, officers on patrol along the Benin/Lagos Expressway intercepted a truck conveying 1,196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids destined for Onitsha, Anambra State. Two suspects, Osagie Igbinibo, 43, and Omijie Malik, 44, were apprehended.
Elsewhere, NDLEA operatives arrested multiple suspects and seized significant quantities of cannabis and other illicit substances. In Lagos, a suspect was caught with 810 kilograms of a cannabis strain known as “Arizona.” In Bauchi, another suspect was found with 154.5 kilograms of skunk, while in Ekiti, 466.8 kilograms of the same substance were recovered from a residence.
A major operation in Cross River State led to the destruction of 20,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated across eight hectares of farmland in Uyanga community, Akamkpa Local Government Area. Officers also recovered 170 kilograms of processed cannabis during the raid.
In Niger State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a suspect transporting 394 components used for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the Kontagora/Zuru Road. Authorities said the suspect and exhibits would be handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
The agency also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaigns nationwide, conducting sensitisation programmes in schools and communities across Niger, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, and Lagos states.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the affected states for their coordinated efforts, describing the interception of Captagon as a significant disruption of attempts by drug syndicates to re-establish distribution networks in Nigeria.
He warned that the agency remains vigilant against traffickers seeking to exploit the drug’s links to violent criminal activity, stating that efforts would continue to ensure such substances gain no foothold in the country.
“We are not just seizing drugs; we are cutting off the supply chains that fuel crime and insecurity,” Marwa said, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to sustained enforcement and public awareness.
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