By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted consignments of captagon, widely known as Jihadi drug, and millions of opioid pills worth over N6.2 billion.

According to a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja, the drugs were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.

Babafemi said that the captagon shipment was seized at the Lagos airport on August 22 following the arrest of a 49-year-old cross-border kingpin who arrived from Accra aboard an African World Airlines flight.

He said that a search of his carton of local bathing soap, popularly called “Ghana Soap” led to the recovery.

“The search led to the recovery of 47,200 pills of the illicit amphetamine drug worth over N1.5 billion concealed within blocks of soap.

“Captagon, which is notoriously dubbed the Jihadi drug for its use in funding extremist activities in conflict zones, was first intercepted in Nigeria by NDLEA in 2021 at the Apapa port in Lagos.

“After his arrest, the suspect claimed he was meant to deliver the consignment in the North.

“In another successful interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, no fewer than 3,900 tablets of Tramaking 225mg and Tapentadol 250mg were recovered from four abandoned consignments at the import shed of the MMIA.”

Babafemi said that the illicit drugs recovered were with a combined gross weight of 2,787.40 kilograms and more than N4.6 billion in street value.

He said that three of the consignments, comprising 900,000 tablets of Tramaking (815.40kg), arrived aboard RwandAir flights from Bangladesh, while a fourth, comprising 3,000,030 tablets of Tapentadol (1,972kg), arrived on Qatar Airways from Amsterdam.

“The shipments had been placed under close watch after no one showed up to claim them.

“They were formally retrieved after a joint examination by NDLEA officers, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other stakeholders on Aug. 28,” he said.

Babafemi also said that a 31-year-old US-returnee was on August 19, arrested by NDLEA operatives at Ikate area of Lekki, Lagos.

This, he said, was after he showed up to take delivery of 3.350 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis imported from the United Kingdom.

In another development, NDLEA operatives raided the notorious Abuja down/up area of Port Harcourt, Rivers, where they recovered a fireproof iron safe among other items.

Babafemi said that the Fireproof iron safe cracked opened when the safe was opened with a welding machine on Tuesday, Aug. 26.

He said that no fewer than 237 grams of colorado, 316 grams of cocaine, and 10 grams of heroin were recovered from it.

He said that three suspects were nabbed nabbed on Aug. 28 at Ipele-Idoani road, in Ondo state with a total of 728kg skunk recovered from their truck marked KRE 120 XB.

“Two other suspects were also arrested at Aponmu forest with 341kg of same substance on Wednesday, August 26.

“In another development, over 176,000 pills of assorted opioids, including tramadol, molly and others were recovered from two interdiction operations in parts of Delta between Aug. 26 and Aug. 28.

“With the same vigour, commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities in the past week.”

Babafemi said that the Ondo State Command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the State Governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

He said that the Taraba state command of the agency also paid a similar advocacy visit to the state Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas.

The NDLEA spokesman quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of MMIA, Ondo, and Delta commands for the various successful operations.

He enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.

He also directed them to sustain the momentum against drug traffickers who were desperate to explore every means, including concealment in everyday household items like soap, to move their illicit consignments. (NAN)