NDLEA SEIZES CAPTAGON AND BOMB PARTS IN MASSIVE NATIONWIDE BLOW!

ABUJA — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt a significant blow to international drug syndicates and domestic security threats, intercepting a consignment of Captagon—a highly addictive amphetamine often termed the “terror drug”—and seizing nearly 400 components for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

​The Kwara “Terror Drug” Interception

​In a landmark operation on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, operatives along the Bode Saadu road in Kwara State intercepted a trailer conveying passengers. A search led to the arrest of 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu, who was found with 10,000 pills of Captagon and nine packets of Tapentadol.

​Captagon, widely used by insurgent groups in the Middle East to inhibit fear and fatigue, has been a major target for the NDLEA since its first African seizure at the Apapa seaport five years ago. Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the bust as a “wake-up call,” noting that the drug is often used to fuel insecurity and reckless violence.

​The Human Mule: 45 Cocaine Wraps

​In a separate but equally dramatic arrest in Oyo State, 33-year-old Eze Prince Emeka was intercepted on an interstate bus heading to Sokoto. After a body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit substances, Emeka was placed under “excretion observation,” where he eventually expelled 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043kg.

ADVERTISEMENT

​Investigations revealed a sophisticated trafficking route: Emeka intended to rest in Sokoto, re-ingest the pellets, and travel via trans-Saharan routes through Algeria with a final destination of Europe.

​Explosives and Opioids: A National Crackdown

​The Agency’s week-long “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) yielded further massive seizures across the country:

​1.Niger State: Operatives on the Kontagora/Zuru road intercepted 26-year-old Mohammed Aliyu in a red Toyota. He was found conveying 394 IED components destined for Mariga LGA. The suspect has been transferred to relevant security agencies for further counter-terrorism profiling.

​2.Edo State: A truck marked NLC 146 FC was intercepted along the Benin/Lagos expressway carrying 1,196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids heading to Onitsha, Anambra State. Two suspects, Osagie Igbinibo (43) and Omijie Malik (44), were apprehended.

3.Cross River State: In a coordinated raid with the Nigerian Army, officials destroyed 20,000kg of skunk (cannabis) across eight hectares of farmland in the Uyanga community.

4.Lagos & Bauchi: Significant quantities of “Arizona” cannabis (810kg) and “skunk” blocks (154.5kg) were recovered from suspects Rasheed Ibuowo and Muktar Bello, respectively.

​Maintaining the Tempo

​Commending the tactical precision of the various state commands, Brig. Gen. Marwa (Rtd) emphasized that the NDLEA is not just seizing pills but “disrupting the fuel that powers violence in our communities.”

​Alongside the enforcement actions, the Agency continued its WADA sensitization lectures at various schools and worship centers across Niger, Kano, Katsina, and Lagos states, aiming to curb drug demand through education.