NDLEA intercepts 10,000 captagon pills in Kwara, arrests businessman

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 10,000 pills of the potent stimulant known as Captagon in Kwara state

According to a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, the agency spokesperson disclosed on Sunday that the seizure was made on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, during a routine patrol along the Bode Saadu axis, where operatives stopped a commercial trailer conveying passengers.

A search of one of the occupants, identified as 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, led to the discovery of the consignment.

According to the NDLEA, the suspect was found with “10 packs of captagon consisting of 10,000 pills and nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg,” hidden during transit.

Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine-type drug, is widely abused in parts of the Middle East and is known to induce prolonged alertness, euphoria, and risky behaviour.

Security reports have also linked its trade to funding networks associated with militant groups, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The interception comes nearly five years after the first recorded seizure of Captagon in Africa at the Apapa Port in Lagos, underscoring what authorities describe as a persistent trafficking threat.

In a separate development, the NDLEA also uncovered a case of drug trafficking involving ingestion in Oyo State, where a 33-year-old man, Eze Prince Emeka, was arrested along the Ibadan–Oyo expressway.

The agency said a body scan confirmed the suspect had swallowed illicit substances.

He later excreted 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms after being placed under observation.

Officials said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect attempted to evade airport security by transporting the drugs via road, with plans to retrieve and continue trafficking them along trans-Saharan routes into Europe.

Beyond Kwara and Oyo, the agency reported multiple operations nationwide, including the interception of over 1.1 million opioid pills in Edo State, the arrest of a cannabis trafficker in Lagos, and the destruction of large cannabis farms in Cross River State.

In Niger State, officers also recovered components suspected to be used in the fabrication of improvised explosive devices, which have since been transferred to relevant security agencies for further investigation.

The NDLEA said the coordinated operations reflect its continued nationwide enforcement and intelligence-led strategy to dismantle drug trafficking networks and curb the spread of illicit substances.