The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested 45,853 drug suspects and secured 9,263 convictions in the last 30 months, marking a major stride in Nigeria’s anti-narcotics war.
The agency also seized over 8.5 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and rehabilitated 26,613 drug users within the period.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this on Wednesday during the agency’s Award and Commendation Ceremony held in Abuja.
Marwa, who honoured 220 outstanding personnel and decorated 15 senior officers with new ranks, credited the achievements to the dedication of NDLEA operatives and the support of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.
“In the past two and a half years, our officers have gone above and beyond, often at great personal risk, to deliver results that speak for themselves,” Marwa said.
“We have achieved 45,853 arrests, over 8.5 million kilograms of seized illicit drugs, and 9,263 convictions — while counselling and rehabilitating over 26,000 users across the country.”
He said the agency also carried out 9,848 sensitisation programmes under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative in schools, markets, religious centres, and workplaces.
Marwa, however, warned that the country still faces a “monumental” drug crisis.
“Drug abuse, trafficking, and their associated crimes are an existential threat to Nigeria’s social fabric, economy, and national security.
They fuel terrorism, corruption, and insecurity,” he said.
The NDLEA boss described each drug interception as “a critical blow” to the networks financing crime and insurgency.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to professionalism, integrity, and adherence to its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), adding that the reward system was introduced to boost morale and entrench a culture of merit.
“We reward virtues such as hard work, loyalty, sacrifice, honesty, courage, and obedience,” he noted. “Over the past four and a half years, this has strengthened the spirit and ethos of our workforce.”
Marwa also expressed appreciation to international partners, including the UNODC, UK Border Force, INL, and the governments of France and Germany, for their support.
He equally commended the National Assembly’s Committees on Narcotics, the Ministry of Justice, and President Bola Tinubu for their “unwavering support” to the agency’s reform drive.
“We are gradually rolling back the influence of drug cartels, but much work remains to be done. We must sustain the momentum,” Marwa concluded.
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