NDLEA Seizes N6.2bn ‘Jihadi Drug’, Opioids at Lagos Airport, Arrests Cross-Border Kingpin

 NDLEA Seizes N6.2bn ‘Jihadi Drug’, Opioids at Lagos Airport, Arrests Cross-Border Kingpin

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted illicit drugs worth more than N6.2 billion in separate operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, including 47,200 Captagon pills concealed in blocks of Ghana soap.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of Captagon, popularly described as a “Jihadi drug”, alongside millions of opioid tablets valued at over N6.2 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The agency also arrested a 49-year-old suspected cross-border drug kingpin, Akinbile Kazeem Aikins, in connection with the Captagon consignment.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Aikins was arrested on Saturday, August 22, 2026, shortly after arriving in Lagos from Accra, Ghana, aboard an African World Airlines flight.

A search of his carton containing locally produced bathing soap, popularly known as “Ghana Soap”, led to the discovery of 47,200 pills of Captagon concealed inside blocks of soap.

The illicit amphetamine-based drug was estimated to be worth more than N1.5 billion.

Captagon has earned the nickname “Jihadi drug” because of its reported association with the financing and activities of extremist groups in conflict zones.

NDLEA said Captagon was first intercepted in Nigeria in September 2021 at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

Following his arrest, Aikins reportedly told investigators that he was expected to deliver the consignment to an undisclosed location in northern Nigeria.

NDLEA intercepts 3.9m opioid tablets

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives recovered 3,900,030 tablets of Tramaking 225mg and Tapentadol 250mg with a combined gross weight of 2,787.40kg.

The seized opioids have an estimated street value of more than N4.6 billion.

The drugs were recovered from four abandoned consignments at the import shed of the MMIA after no one appeared to claim them.

According to the agency, three of the consignments contained 900,000 tablets of Tramaking weighing 815.40kg and arrived on RwandAir flights from Bangladesh.

The fourth consignment contained 3,000,030 tablets of Tapentadol weighing 1,972kg and arrived aboard Qatar Airways from Amsterdam.

The consignments had been placed under surveillance after they were abandoned. They were formally retrieved on Friday, August 28, following a joint examination involving NDLEA officers, the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant stakeholders.

US returnee arrested with Loud in Lekki

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos have arrested a 31-year-old US returnee, Sowunmi David Oludotun, for allegedly attempting to take delivery of 3.350kg of Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis.

Oludotun was arrested on August 19 in the Ikate area of Lekki after allegedly showing up to collect the consignment, which had been imported from the United Kingdom.

Cocaine, heroin recovered from iron safe in Rivers

In Rivers State, NDLEA operatives raided a notorious drug den in the Abuja Down/Up area of Port Harcourt, recovering a fireproof iron safe among other items.

The agency said the safe was cracked open with a welding machine on Tuesday, August 25, leading to the recovery of 237 grams of Colorado cannabis, 316 grams of cocaine and 10 grams of heroin.

NDLEA seizes over one tonne of cannabis in Ondo

In Ondo State, three suspects — Oyedele Daniel, 42; Taye Saliu, 36; and Kehinde Saliu, 36 — were arrested on Friday, August 28, along the Ipele-Idoani Road.

A total of 728kg of skunk was recovered from their truck, marked KRE 120 XB.

In a separate operation, two other suspects, Uche Joseph, 35, and Godwin Umeh, 21, were arrested at Aponmu Forest on Wednesday, August 26, with 341kg of skunk.

176,000 opioid pills recovered in Delta

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives also recovered more than 176,000 tablets of assorted opioids, including tramadol and Molly, during two separate interdiction operations conducted between Wednesday, August 26, and Friday, August 28.

The latest seizures form part of the agency's continuing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking and abuse.

Beyond arrests and seizures, NDLEA commands and formations across the country also continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns during the week.

The agency conducted enlightenment programmes for students, youths, religious groups, workers and community members in several states.

Among the engagements were WADA lectures for students and staff of Markaz Littahfizul Quran Wal Islamiyyat, Dadin Kowa, Gombe State, and Zangina Islamiyyah Alasawa Kurna in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State.

The agency also sensitised youths participating in an adolescent lifestyle programme organised by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Benin City, Edo State.

In Ondo State, the NDLEA command paid a WADA advocacy visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, while the Taraba State Command similarly visited Governor Agbu Kefas.

Commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo and Delta Commands for their successful operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), urged personnel across the country to sustain the agency's balanced approach to drug control.

Marwa also directed officers to maintain the momentum against traffickers who, he said, were increasingly exploring unconventional methods to conceal and transport illicit drugs.

He specifically urged personnel to remain vigilant against attempts to hide drug consignments in everyday household items, including bathing soap.