The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against illicit drugs, intercepting a fresh consignment of the notorious terror-linked substance, Captagon in Kwara state, alongside multiple high-profile seizures across the country.
This was contained in a statement by the director of media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, which said the development comes nearly five years after the agency made its first-ever Captagon seizure in Africa at Apapa Seaport, Lagos, underscoring renewed attempts by trafficking networks to penetrate Nigeria’s borders.
Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine popular in parts of the Middle East, is known for its ability to keep users awake for extended periods while suppressing fear and fatigue. The drug has been widely linked to militant groups, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, as a source of funding and a stimulant for fighters.
He said in the latest operation, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara state intercepted a trailer conveying passengers on April 21, 2026. A search of one of the passengers, 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, led to the discovery of 10,000 pills of Captagon concealed in 10 packs, along with additional quantities of Tapentadol.
“Just days later, at the same location, officers intercepted another trailer with registration number RMY-70XA, carrying a hidden cache of drugs, including 155,900 capsules of tramadol, 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection, 3,000 tablets of co-codamol, and 9,000 tablets of bromazepam. The drugs were ingeniously concealed in a specially constructed compartment beneath the vehicle”
“A suspect, 24-year-old Aminu Isah, was arrested in connection with the seizure,” Babafemi said.