News
NDLEA intercepts terror drug ‘captagon’ in Kwara as bizman excretes 45 cocaine wraps(Photos)
. Captagon ‘ll never find foothold in Nigeria, Marwa assures as operatives destroy 20,000kg skunk in Cross River forest; recover 1.1million pills of opioids in Edo; 394 IED materials in Niger state
Barely five years after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (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, a tiny, highly addictive pill, widely available across the Middle East, produces a euphoric intensity in users, allowing them to stay awake for days, making them fearless, and predisposes them to reckless action that puts the lives of people around them in jeopardy.
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 of captagon, which street value costs as much as $25 a pill, was made on Tuesday 21st April 2026 when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu road, 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.
In another interdiction operation at the Bode Saadu patrol point, NDLEA officers on Friday 24th April intercepted a trailer marked RMY-70XA. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 155,900 capsules of tramadol; 6,000 ampuoles of tramadol injection; 3,000 tablets of Co- Codamol and 9,000 tablets of Bromazepam, concealed in a false compartment constructed under the trailer. A 24-year-old suspect Aminu Isah has been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Oyo state on Tuesday 21st April intercepted a commercial bus with registration number MNA 963 ZY, at Akinyele along Ibadan/Oyo expressway, while en route Sokoto. A 33-year-old passenger Eze Prince Emeka was brought down from the vehicle and taken for body scan, which result confirmed ingestion of illicit drug.
The suspect who claims to be a businessman in Sokoto was subsequently placed under close excretion observation during which he excreted a total of forty-five (45) pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 1.043 kilograms in three excretions. The decision to travel by road to Sokoto with the illicit drug in his stomach was to evade detection by NDLEA at the airport while further investigation reveals that upon arrival in Sokoto, the suspect was to excrete the pellets, rest for a few days, and subsequently re-ingest the substances to continue the journey through the trans-Saharan routes, with Algeria as a transit point and possible final destination in Europe.
In Edo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Benin/Lagos expressway on Saturday 25th April intercepted a truck marked NLC 146 FC conveying 1, 196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids, among others. Two suspects: Osagie Igbinibo, 43, and Omijie Malik, 44, were apprehended in connection with the seizure of the consignments heading to Onitsha, Anambra state.
While a suspect Rasheed Ibuowo, 40, was arrested at Mile 2 expressway in Lagos on Saturday 25th April conveying 810 kilograms of Arizona, a strain of cannabis, another suspect Muktar Bello, 35, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 22nd April at Misau road, Azare/Katagun LGA, Bauchi state with 288 blocks of skunk weighing 154.5kg.
In Ekiti state, a total of 466.8 kilograms of skunk were recovered from the house of a suspect Layit John Matthew, 56, at Ilaro street, Isinbode-Ekiti, from where he planned to transport them to Yola, Adamawa state while 20,000 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance were destroyed on eight hectares of farmland in Uyanga community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River state on Saturday 25th April when NDLEA officers supported by soldiers raided the community and recovered 170kg of processed cannabis.
Three Hundred and Ninety-Four (394) pieces of IED components were seized from a suspect Mohammed Aliyu, 26, by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kontagora/Zuru road, Niger state on Wednesday 22nd April. He was conveying the IED materials in a red Toyota car with registration number KNT 617 AE to Shadadi, Mariga LGA. The suspect and exhibit are to be transferred to the relevant security Agency for further investigation.
With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Mallam Salisu Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state; Madarasatul Abdulrahman Bin Auf Litahafizul Quran, Durusul Islamiyah Badawa, Nasarawa LGA, Kano; Sani Zango Daura Model Primary School, Zango, Katsina; and members of community development associations, Badagry LGA Lagos while the Zonal Commander, Zone 4 Command of NDLEA, ACGN Bridget Viashiama led other senior officers of the Zone on a WADA advocacy visit to Nasarawa state governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, among others.
While commending the officers and men of Kwara, Oyo, Edo, Cross River, Bauchi, Ekiti, Niger and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.
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.
By Gloria Ikibah
Nigeria and Venezuela have agreed to reschedule their long-anticipated Joint Commission meeting, signalling a renewed push to deepen diplomatic and economic ties while allowing more time to prepare for meaningful outcomes.
The decision followed a high-level meeting in Abuja between Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, and Venezuela’s Ambassador, Alberto Castellar Padilla, where both sides reviewed plans for the second session of the bilateral commission initially slated for June 2026.
Officials acknowledged that evolving administrative developments in both countries could affect the original timetable, prompting a mutual decision to shift the meeting rather than delay it indefinitely.
Speaking during the engagement, Ambassador Ahmed underscored Nigeria’s commitment to the partnership, and added that the decision to reschedule was deliberate and strategic.
He said: “Nigeria remains firmly committed to strengthening its longstanding diplomatic relations with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and to ensuring that the Joint Commission delivers concrete and mutually beneficial outcomes.
“Both sides have agreed, in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation, to move the meeting to a more suitable date to allow for comprehensive preparation, effective participation, and a successful engagement.”
The Permanent Secretary also expressed solidarity with Venezuela’s ongoing reforms and welcomed recent improvements in its economic outlook.
“We recognise and support Venezuela’s ongoing economic and institutional reforms, and we are encouraged by recent positive developments, including the easing of sanctions on key financial institutions, which hold significant potential for enhanced bilateral cooperation”, he noted.
On his part, Ambassador Padilla reaffirmed Venezuela’s readiness to deepen ties with Nigeria, describing the Joint Commission as a vital platform for collaboratio.
“The Joint Commission remains an essential mechanism for advancing cooperation between our two countries across critical sectors, and Venezuela is committed to working closely with Nigeria to ensure its success”, he said.
Both countries highlighted priority areas including agriculture, oil and gas, energy, mining, manufacturing, and information and communication technology as key pillars for expanded cooperation.
To support the process, the two sides agreed to establish a joint technical committee tasked with reviewing existing agreements, updating outdated frameworks, and coordinating documentation ahead of the rescheduled meeting.
A new date for the Joint Commission will be formally communicated once consultations are concluded.
The renewed engagement reflects over six decades of diplomatic relations between the two nations, anchored on shared interests in energy, development, and South–South cooperation, with both sides reiterating their commitment to tackling emerging global challenges through sustained dialogue.
Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, fixed June 22, July 1 and 2, 2026 for definite hearing in the trial of the Chief Executive Officer of Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited, Osabohein Alex Ologbose, and his wife Hope Onome Oghelemu for alleged investment fraud.
The duo are being prosecuted alongside two companies, on a seven-count charge, bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, conversion of funds and money laundering to the tune of N740 million.
According to the EFCC, the offence is contrary to Section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022 and punishment under Section 18(4) of the same Act.
The defendants were arraigned on February 16, 2026.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, the prosecuting EFCC lawyer, O.S Ujam, informed the court that the prosecution team was ready to proceed with the trials and to present three witnesses in court.
On his part, the defence lawyer , T.O. Ochayi, informed the court that he was unprepared for the commencement of the trial, having been briefed on the matter just a day before and taking over only today.
He said, “We are not ready, my lord. I am sorry my lord. I just came into this matter today, I was not the counsel before now. I am not ready for trial. I was briefed yesterday, I would like this matter to proceed only if I have the motion for bail.”
Responding, Ujam informed the court that the prosecution team was hearing such a response from the defence for the first time, frowning at the fact that the prosecution was not given any prior notice for the change in counsel. He further informed the court that the three prosecution witnesses present in court were elderly and have been in court since morning.
He said, “We are just hearing this, this morning. No notice was given to us. I am not opposed to the adjournment, however, we urge the court to slate the matter for definite hearing. We have three witnesses that came from afar and elderly. They have been in court since morning.”
Justice Akpan, thereafter, adjourned the matter till June 22, and July 1 and 2, 2026 for definite hearing.
Investigation by the EFCC revealed that the first and second defendants induced unsuspecting members of the public into paying money into Oghelemu’s account or that of Onome Global Market Resources Limited on the false pretence that it was for procurement and exportation of “bitter kola nuts” and “red kola nuts” to Hong Kong, China and Indonesia after which they would be paid a huge Return on Investment (RoI).
But it turned out that the investors neither got RoI, nor their investment sums back.
Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on Monday confronted former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a tense exchange that has since gone viral.
The incident, captured on video, showed Sowore addressing Malami over his ongoing legal challenges, drawing comparisons between the former minister’s current predicament and his role during the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Malami is currently facing charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), including allegations of money laundering, unlawful possession of firearms, and acquisition of assets. He is also challenging an interim forfeiture order on some of his properties, insisting they were legally obtained.
During the confrontation, Sowore remarked, “You see how it feels now to be persecuted. When you were with Buhari, you were bragging. We warned you that the justice system was failing, but you didn’t listen. Now the system is dealing with you.”
But Sowore described the claims as speculative, stressing that no documentation had been provided to prove the properties were purchased with illegal funds.
He also accused the EFCC of inflating the value of the assets to strengthen its case. According to him, properties bought for hundreds of millions of naira were wrongly valued in the billions.
He noted that independent assessments had placed more realistic values on the assets.
Explaining the sources of his wealth, Malami said they stem from over 30 years of legal practice, as well as investments in sectors such as hospitality, agriculture, and education.
He added that he also benefited from bank loans, asset sales, gifts, and proceeds from book launches, all of which he claimed were properly declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Beyond disputing the financial allegations, Malami accused the EFCC of violating due process. He further alleged that officials seized properties without a final court order, evicted occupants, and confiscated documents, actions he described as unlawful and extrajudicial conduct.
The case, which is linked to an ongoing criminal matter involving the former AGF, is expected to test the scope of the EFCC’s powers in asset forfeiture and its compliance with legal procedures.
Malami is asking the court to overturn the interim forfeiture order, insisting the properties are legitimate.
The court will ultimately determine whether the assets should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government or returned to him.
Nigeria-Venezuela Reset Talks as Joint Commission Meeting Shifted
Court fixes June 22 for hearing on couple’s alleged N740m investment fraud
Sowore mocks Malami at court, says ‘ You see how it feels now to be persecuted’
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