Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of the notorious terror-linked drug, Captagon, in Kwara State, raising fresh concerns over attempts to introduce the dangerous stimulant into Nigeria.
The seizure, which underscores the growing sophistication of drug trafficking networks, comes barely five years after the agency recorded its first interception of the substance in Africa at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.
Captagon, a tiny but highly addictive amphetamine pill widely abused in the Middle East, produces intense euphoria, keeps users awake for days and induces reckless behaviour that endangers lives, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday.
The drug, which sells for as much as $25 per pill on the black market, has been linked to funding operations of militant groups, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), as well as being used by fighters to sustain prolonged combat.
According to the agency, the latest seizure was made on Tuesday, 21 April 2026, when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara intercepted a trailer conveying passengers.
A search conducted on one of the passengers, identified as 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, led to the recovery of 10 packs of Captagon comprising 10,000 pills, alongside nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg.
In a separate operation at the same Bode Saadu patrol point on Friday, 24 April, NDLEA officers intercepted another trailer marked RMY-70XA.
A thorough search of the vehicle uncovered a large cache of illicit pharmaceuticals hidden in a specially constructed compartment beneath the truck. The items recovered include 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, has been arrested in connection with the seizure.
Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has assured that the agency will not allow Captagon or similar substances to gain a foothold in Nigeria.
He commended the tactical precision of NDLEA operatives following the interception of 10,000 pills of Captagon in Kwara State, noting that the bust is a major blow to drug syndicates attempting to revive a pipeline that has been largely dormant since the landmark seizure at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos five years ago.
Marwa described the seizure as a wake-up call, noting that Captagon, a potent amphetamine often linked to insurgent groups for its ability to inhibit fear and fatigue, remains a target for traffickers looking to fuel insecurity.
“We are not just seizing pills; we are disrupting the fuel that powers violence in our communities. Our operatives remain on high alert across all frontiers to ensure this illicit trade finds no foothold”, he stated.
