NDLEA: Intercepts Captagon Opioids At Lagos Airport, N6.2bn Seized

• The NDLEA intercepted Captagon and millions of opioid tablets worth over N6.2 billion at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
• A 49-year-old drug kingpin, Akinbile Kazeem Aikins, was arrested with 47,200 Captagon pills valued at over N1.5 billion, concealed in Ghana soap.
• Separately, 3,900,030 tablets of Tramaking and Tapentadol, weighing 2,787.40kg and valued over N4.6 billion, were recovered from abandoned consignments at the airport.
• These major Lagos seizures are part of broader NDLEA operations that also saw arrests and drug recoveries in Ikate, Port Harcourt, Ondo, and Delta states.
• The agency's intensified enforcement highlights the critical need for businesses in international logistics to enhance due diligence to avoid complicity in drug trafficking.

This incident signals heightened NDLEA enforcement against drug trafficking, particularly for opioids and amphetamines, necessitating increased due diligence for businesses involved in international logistics and supply chains to mitigate complicity risks and potential criminal liability.

Nigerian authorities recently announced a significant crackdown on illicit drug trafficking, revealing the interception of Captagon, widely known as the “Jihadi drug,” alongside millions of opioid tablets. These seizures, conducted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, collectively represent a street value exceeding N6.2 billion. The agency's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed these operations in a statement released on Sunday.

One key operation on Saturday, August 22, 2026, led to the arrest of Akinbile Kazeem Aikins, a 49-year-old individual identified as a cross-border drug kingpin. Aikins, who arrived from Accra, Ghana, on an African World Airlines flight, was found to be transporting 47,200 pills of the amphetamine drug, Captagon, valued at over N1.5 billion. These pills were ingeniously concealed within blocks of local bathing soap, commonly referred to as Ghana Soap, packed inside his carton. Following his apprehension, Aikins reportedly stated that his intention was to deliver the illicit consignment in Nigeria's northern region.

In a distinct but related operation at the same Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives recovered a massive quantity of opioids. This included 3,900,030 tablets comprising Tramaking 225mg and Tapentadol 250mg, with a combined gross weight of 2,787.40 kilograms. The estimated street value of these opioids alone surpassed N4.6 billion. These drugs were discovered in four abandoned consignments at the MMIA import shed, which had remained unclaimed. Three of these consignments, originating from Bangladesh via RwandAir flights, contained 900,000 tablets of Tramaking, weighing 815.40kg. The fourth consignment, carrying 3,000,030 tablets of Tapentadol weighing 1,972kg, had arrived from Amsterdam aboard Qatar Airways. These consignments had been under surveillance before their formal retrieval on Friday, August 28, through a joint examination involving NDLEA operatives, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other relevant stakeholders.

The Lagos airport busts are part of a wider, intensified campaign by the NDLEA against drug trafficking across Nigeria. In a separate incident on August 19, Sowunmi David Oludotun, a 31-year-old United States returnee, was apprehended in Ikate, Lekki, Lagos. He was arrested after allegedly attempting to take possession of 3.350 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, which had been imported from the United Kingdom.

Further demonstrating the agency's reach, operatives in Rivers State raided the notorious Abuja Down/Up area of Port Harcourt on Tuesday, August 25. During this operation, a fireproof iron safe was discovered and subsequently opened using a welding machine, revealing a cache of various illicit substances. The contents included 237 grams of Colorado cannabis, 316 grams of cocaine, and 10 grams of heroin.

Enforcement actions also extended to Ondo State, where on Friday, August 28, three individuals—Oyedele Daniel (42), Taye Saliu (36), and Kehinde Saliu (36)—were arrested along the Ipele-Idoani Road. Their truck, marked KRE 120 XB, was found to contain 728 kilograms of skunk. Just two days prior, on Wednesday, August 26, another two suspects, Uche Joseph (35) and Godwin Umeh (21), were apprehended at Aponmu Forest with 341 kilograms of the same substance. In Delta State, between Wednesday, August 26, and Friday, August 28, two interdiction operations resulted in the recovery of over 176,000 pills of assorted opioids, including tramadol and Molly.

The recent interceptions underscore the growing challenge posed by illicit opioids and amphetamines in Nigeria. Captagon, the amphetamine seized at the Lagos airport, carries the ominous moniker of the 'Jihadi drug' due to its documented use in funding extremist activities within conflict zones. This is not the first time this particular substance has been detected in Nigeria; the NDLEA previously intercepted Captagon in September 2021 at the Apapa port in Lagos, indicating a recurring pattern of attempts to introduce it into the country.

The sheer volume of opioids recovered, including millions of tablets of Tramaking and Tapentadol, highlights a significant public health and security concern. These substances, often diverted from legitimate pharmaceutical channels or illicitly manufactured, contribute to addiction crises and can fuel other criminal enterprises. The substantial quantities involved, measured in thousands of kilograms and billions of Naira, reflect the sophisticated networks engaged in their trafficking. The NDLEA’s sustained focus on these drug categories signals a strategic response to evolving threats in the illicit drug trade.

This incident signals heightened NDLEA enforcement against drug trafficking, particularly for opioids and amphetamines, necessitating increased due diligence for businesses involved in international logistics and supply chains to mitigate complicity risks and potential criminal liability. The methods of concealment, such as drugs hidden within everyday items like Ghana soap or left in abandoned consignments, demonstrate the lengths to which traffickers will go to evade detection. This places a greater burden on freight forwarders, customs brokers, and other logistics providers to implement robust screening and verification processes.

Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the personnel from the MMIA, Ondo, and Delta Commands for their successful operations. He further urged all agency personnel across the nation to maintain a balanced approach to drug control. This emphasis on continued vigilance and strategic enforcement reinforces the critical need for all entities involved in the movement of goods across borders to enhance their compliance frameworks and ensure they are not inadvertently facilitating illegal activities.

This incident signals heightened NDLEA enforcement against drug trafficking, particularly for opioids and amphetamines, necessitating increased due diligence for businesses involved in international logistics and supply chains to mitigate complicity risks and potential criminal liability.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH