The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has recorded a series of major drug interceptions across Nigeria, including the seizure of Captagon tablets in Kwara State and the arrest of a suspect who allegedly excreted cocaine pellets in Oyo State.
Captagon seizure raises security concern in Kwara
According to the NDLEA, operatives on patrol along the Bode Saadu axis in Kwara State intercepted a passenger vehicle after suspicious movements were detected.
During a search, officers reportedly found 10,000 pills of Captagon in possession of a 33-year-old suspect identified as Nasiru Mu’azu, alongside several packets of Tapentadol, a strong opioid painkiller.
Captagon is a powerful stimulant drug known for increasing alertness and reducing fear. Security experts have previously linked its abuse to militant groups in parts of the Middle East, raising concerns about its appearance in West Africa.
Hidden drug network uncovered in multiple states
In a separate operation along the same route, NDLEA officers also uncovered a truck with a hidden compartment containing large quantities of controlled pharmaceuticals, including:
- Over 155,000 capsules of tramadol
- Thousands of tramadol injections
- Co-codamol and bromazepam tablets
A 24-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the discovery.
Suspect excretes cocaine pellets in Oyo
In another shocking case in Oyo State, officers intercepted a passenger bus along the Ibadan–Oyo expressway and arrested a man identified as Eze Prince Emeka.
After being placed under observation, the suspect reportedly excreted 45 wraps of cocaine weighing over 1 kilogram, allegedly intended for trafficking through trans-Saharan routes into Europe via North Africa.
Nationwide crackdown continues
The NDLEA also confirmed several other major seizures across the country:
- Over 1.1 million opioid pills intercepted in Edo State
- 810kg of cannabis seized in Lagos
- 154.5kg of skunk recovered in Bauchi State
- 466.8kg of cannabis discovered in Ekiti State
- 20,000kg of cannabis farm destroyed in Cross River State
- Components suspected for IED fabrication intercepted in Niger State
NDLEA reacts
The agency’s chairman, Mohammed Buba Marwa, described the Captagon seizure as a major breakthrough in disrupting dangerous drug trafficking networks.
He warned that the agency remains committed to dismantling drug supply chains and preventing substances that could fuel insecurity from entering communities.
“We are not just seizing drugs; we are stopping the systems that fuel violence and crime,” he said.
Bigger picture
The NDLEA says the operations reflect ongoing efforts to tackle drug trafficking networks that span local and international routes, with increasing concern over synthetic drugs like Captagon entering the region.
