The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the interception of a consignment of Captagon, a highly addictive stimulant associated with terrorist financing, in Kwara State. The agency's spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, April 26.
According to the statement, operatives on patrol along the Bode Saadu axis on April 21 intercepted a trailer carrying passengers. During the operation, a 33-year-old suspect, Nasiru Mu'azu, was arrested with 10,000 pills of Captagon and other pharmaceutical opioids concealed in his possession.
What is Captagon?
The NDLEA described Captagon as a dangerous amphetamine-type substance linked to insurgent groups in the Middle East. Its abuse promotes aggression, sleeplessness, and reckless behavior. The agency noted that this is not the first seizure of the drug in Nigeria; the first recorded seizure in Africa occurred at the Apapa seaport in Lagos five years ago.
Details of the Seizure
The statement read: "Barely five years after the NDLEA recorded the first seizure of the deadly terror drug, Captagon, in Africa at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, operatives of the Agency have again intercepted a consignment of the amphetamine substance in Kwara state."
Captagon is a tiny, highly addictive pill widely available across the Middle East. It produces a euphoric intensity in users, allowing them to stay awake for days, making them fearless, and predisposing them to reckless action that endangers those around them. Its production and sale are controlled by militias and large criminal groups linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as a means of generating funds for weapons and combatants, and for use as a stimulant to keep them fighting.
The latest seizure, with a street value of up to $25 per pill, was made on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu road in Kwara state intercepted a trailer conveying passengers. A search conducted on one of the passengers, 33-year-old Nasiru Mu'azu, led to the recovery of 10 packs of Captagon consisting of 10,000 pills and nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg.
