The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a series of major drug interceptions across several states, including the seizure of the dangerous stimulant Captagon in Kwara State and the recovery of cocaine, opioids, and cannabis in multiple operations nationwide.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency disclosed that operatives intercepted 10,000 pills of Captagon along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara on April 21, 2026. The illicit consignment was discovered during a routine patrol when a passenger, identified as 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, was searched. Authorities also recovered nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg from him.
Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine commonly abused in parts of the Middle East, is known for inducing extreme alertness and fearlessness. It has also been linked to criminal networks and insurgent groups as a source of funding and combat stimulation.
In a separate operation at the same location on April 24, NDLEA officers intercepted a trailer concealing large quantities of drugs in a hidden 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 suspect, 24-year-old Aminu Isah, was arrested.
Meanwhile, in Oyo State, operatives intercepted a commercial bus along the Ibadan/Oyo expressway and apprehended a passenger, Eze Prince Emeka, who tested positive for ingesting illicit substances. Under observation, he excreted 45 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms. Investigations revealed he intended to transport the drugs through trans-Saharan routes to Europe.
In Edo State, officers seized 1,196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids along the Benin/Lagos expressway, arresting two suspects linked to the consignment. Additional operations led to the arrest of a suspect in Lagos with 810 kilograms of cannabis, while another was apprehended in Bauchi State with 154.5 kilograms of skunk.
Further seizures were recorded in Ekiti State, where 466.8 kilograms of cannabis were recovered from a residence, and in Cross River State, where operatives destroyed 20,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on farmland. In Niger State, 394 components used for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were intercepted from a suspect, who is to be handed over to relevant security agencies.
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns across schools, communities, and institutions nationwide.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers involved in the operations, describing the seizures as a significant disruption to drug trafficking networks. He emphasized that the interception of Captagon signals renewed attempts by traffickers to establish supply routes in Nigeria.
“We are not just seizing drugs; we are cutting off the resources that fuel violence and insecurity. Our operatives remain vigilant to ensure these substances do not gain a foothold in the country,” he said.
The NDLEA reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining enforcement actions and public awareness efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking nationwide.