NDLEA Nabs 10,000 Captagon Pills, Cracks Down On Drug Rings Across Multiple States

According to Ireporter Online, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a large consignment of Captagon, a powerful and highly addictive amphetamine-based drug, in Kwara State as part of a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks.

The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, noting that the operation was one of several coordinated interventions carried out across different states.

NDLEA operatives, while on patrol along Bode Saadu Road on April 21, 2026, intercepted a trailer and arrested a 33-year-old suspect, Nasiru Mu’azu. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 10 packs of Captagon containing 10,000 pills, as well as nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg. The agency explained that Captagon, widely abused in parts of the Middle East, is known for inducing prolonged alertness, euphoria, and reduced fear, and has been linked to organized criminal activities and insurgent groups. It added that the seizure followed an earlier interception at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, suggesting attempts by traffickers to introduce the substance into Nigeria.

In a separate operation at the same Bode Saadu checkpoint on April 24, NDLEA officers uncovered another trailer concealing illicit drugs in a 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 discovery.

In Oyo State, a commercial bus was intercepted along the Ibadan–Oyo Expressway on April 21, leading to the arrest of Eze Prince Emeka, 33. A medical scan confirmed that the suspect had ingested illicit drugs, which he later excreted in stages, producing 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms. Investigations revealed that the drugs were destined for Europe via trans-Saharan routes through Algeria after an initial stop in Sokoto.

In Edo State, NDLEA 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, with the consignment reportedly bound for Onitsha, Anambra State.

Further operations across the country led to additional seizures. In Lagos, 810 kilograms of cannabis were recovered from a suspect, Rasheed Ibuowo, 40. In Bauchi State, Muktar Bello, 35, was arrested with 288 blocks of skunk weighing 154.5 kilograms. In Ekiti State, operatives uncovered 466.8 kilograms of skunk from a residential building, while in Cross River State, about 20,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on farmland were destroyed.

In Niger State, NDLEA officers recovered 394 components suspected to be used in the fabrication of improvised explosive devices from a suspect, Mohammed Aliyu, 26, who has since been handed over to relevant security agencies for further investigation.

Reacting to the series of operations, NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the operatives involved, describing the interception of Captagon as a significant blow to transnational drug trafficking networks. He warned that the drug remains attractive to criminal groups due to its association with violence and insecurity, assuring that the agency would intensify its nationwide enforcement efforts.

The developments underscore the growing scale and sophistication of drug trafficking operations in Nigeria, as authorities continue to disrupt supply chains and dismantle criminal networks across the country.