The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major NDLEA drug seizure at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, with consignments of Captagon and millions of opioid tablets worth more than ₦6.2 billion intercepted.

The agency said the operations resulted in the recovery of 47,200 Captagon pills valued at more than ₦1.5 billion, as well as 3.9 million tablets of Tramaking and Tapentadol worth more than ₦4.6 billion.

NDLEA Drug Seizure: Captagon Hidden Inside Ghana Soap

The Captagon consignment was intercepted at MMIA on Saturday, August 22, 2026, following the arrest of 49-year-old cross-border drug suspect Akinbile Kazeem Aikins.

Aikins reportedly arrived from Accra, Ghana, aboard an African World Airlines flight. During a search of his carton of locally produced bathing soap, popularly known as “Ghana Soap,” NDLEA operatives discovered 47,200 pills of Captagon concealed inside the soap blocks.

The agency estimated the consignment’s value at more than ₦1.5 billion.

Captagon, an illicit amphetamine-based drug, has gained notoriety because of its reported links to drug trafficking and financing networks operating in conflict zones. NDLEA said Aikins claimed the consignment was intended for delivery in northern Nigeria.

Nigeria recorded its first reported interception of Captagon in September 2021 when NDLEA operatives seized the substance at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

In a separate NDLEA drug seizure, operatives recovered 3,900,030 tablets of Tramaking 225mg and Tapentadol 250mg from four abandoned consignments at the MMIA import shed.

The consignments had a combined gross weight of 2,787.40kg and an estimated street value exceeding ₦4.6 billion.

Three consignments containing a total of 900,000 Tramaking tablets, weighing 815.40kg, reportedly arrived aboard RwandAir flights from Bangladesh.

The fourth consignment contained 3,000,030 Tapentadol tablets, weighing 1,972kg, and arrived aboard Qatar Airways from Amsterdam.

According to NDLEA, the shipments were placed under surveillance after no individual appeared to claim them. They were formally retrieved following a joint examination involving NDLEA officers, Customs officials and other stakeholders on Friday, August 28.

NDLEA Drug Seizure Leads to Lekki Cannabis Arrest

The agency also arrested a 31-year-old US returnee, Sowunmi David Oludotun, in the Ikate area of Lekki on August 19.

Oludotun was reportedly arrested while attempting to take delivery of 3.350kg of Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis allegedly imported from the United Kingdom.

NDLEA Drug Seizure in Rivers Yields Cocaine and Heroin

In Rivers State, NDLEA operatives raided the notorious Abuja Down/Up area of Port Harcourt and recovered a fireproof iron safe.

The agency said officers used a welding machine to open the safe on Tuesday, August 25, uncovering: 237 grams of Colorado cannabis, 316 grams of cocaine; and 10 grams of heroin.

The seizure formed part of intensified drug-control operations in the state.

NDLEA Drug Seizure in Ondo Recovers More Than One Tonne of Cannabis

NDLEA operatives also intercepted large quantities of cannabis in Ondo State.

Three suspects—Oyedele Daniel, 42; Taye Saliu, 36; and Kehinde Saliu, 36—were arrested on Friday, August 28, along the Ipele-Idoani road.

The suspects were allegedly found with 728kg of skunk concealed in a truck marked KRE 120 XB.

In a separate operation at Aponmu forest on Wednesday, August 26, officers arrested Uche Joseph, 35, and Godwin Umeh, 21, and recovered another 34g of skunk.1k

NDLEA Drug Seizure Operations Recover Opioids in Delta

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives recovered more than 176,000 tablets of assorted opioids, including tramadol and Molly, during two separate interdiction operations conducted between Wednesday, August 26, and Friday, August 28.

The seizures form part of the agency’s continuing efforts to disrupt the movement and distribution of illicit drugs across the country.

NDLEA Intensifies War Against Drug Abuse Campaign

Beyond arrests and seizures, NDLEA commands across Nigeria continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns during the week.

Activities were held at schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities in several states.

The agency conducted enlightenment programmes at Markaz Littahfizul Quran Wal Islamiyyat in Dadin Kowa, Gombe State, and Zangina Islamiyyah Alasawa Kurna in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State.

It also engaged youths participating in an adolescent lifestyle programme organised by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Benin City, Edo State.

The Ondo State Command paid a WADA advocacy visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, while the Taraba State Command similarly visited Governor Agbu Kefas.

NDLEA Drug Seizure: Marwa Commends Officers

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers and personnel involved in the operations in Lagos, Ondo and Delta states.

Marwa urged officers across the country to maintain the agency’s balanced approach to drug-control efforts and sustain pressure on drug traffickers.

He also directed personnel to remain vigilant against increasingly sophisticated concealment methods, including the use of everyday household products such as bathing soap to transport illicit drugs.

The latest NDLEA drug seizure operations underscore the agency’s continuing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and prevent dangerous substances from reaching communities across Nigeria.