Agency says it seized illicit drugs worth over ₦1.5 trillion and secured 5,225 convictions in 18 months as Nigeria intensifies its anti-drug campaign

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced that it arrested 29,262 suspected drug traffickers, seized illicit drugs valued at more than ₦1.5 trillion and secured the conviction of 5,225 offenders over the past 18 months, highlighting what it described as significant progress in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse.

The figures were disclosed on Friday in Abuja by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), during the grand finale of activities marking the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

According to a statement issued by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa said the NDLEA had intensified intelligence-led operations, leading to major breakthroughs against domestic and international drug trafficking syndicates.

Among the agency’s recent successes, Marwa revealed that the NDLEA, working in collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and law enforcement agencies in Greece, France and Switzerland, dismantled the notorious Amadi Simon drug cartel.

“We have also successfully disrupted another international methamphetamine syndicate with the arrest of a 63-year-old Nigerian drug baron, Innocent Anochili, three Mexican nationals and six Nigerian accomplices,” Marwa said.

He added that operatives also uncovered and dismantled an industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, where a Mexican national and four other suspects were arrested.

Providing a broader overview of the agency’s operations, Marwa disclosed that the NDLEA had arrested 234 suspected drug barons linked to major trafficking networks over the past five years.

“In the last 18 months alone, the agency arrested 29,262 suspects, seized 5,305,484.88 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs valued at over ₦1.5 trillion and secured the conviction of 5,225 offenders.

“These numbers represent more than just data; they represent millions of lives saved, billions of naira in criminal wealth confiscated and a future reclaimed for our youths,” he said.

Beyond law enforcement, Marwa said the agency had continued to strengthen drug prevention and rehabilitation efforts through its War Against Drug Abuse campaign.

According to him, the NDLEA conducted 6,645 awareness campaigns across schools, places of worship, workplaces, markets, motor parks, correctional facilities and communities, reaching nearly five million Nigerians during the reporting period.

He further disclosed that 13,508 people struggling with drug dependence received counselling, treatment and rehabilitation through the agency’s 31 rehabilitation centres nationwide within the same period.

Representing President Bola Tinubu at the event, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking through stronger law enforcement, innovation and international cooperation.

Speaking on the theme, “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” the President said the Renewed Hope Agenda would continue to prioritise dismantling organised drug cartels while addressing the underlying causes of substance abuse.

Tinubu also commended Marwa and NDLEA personnel for recording increased arrests, seizures, convictions, asset forfeitures, rehabilitation programmes and the dismantling of organised criminal networks, including those behind some of Nigeria’s largest methamphetamine laboratories.

“These achievements stand as a testament to our administration’s zero tolerance for organised crime and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding society from the devastating effects of narcotics,” the President said.

He, however, stressed that the fight against drug abuse requires collective action, urging parents, schools, religious institutions, traditional rulers, the media and the private sector to support prevention, rehabilitation and public awareness initiatives.

Delivering the guest lecture, Professor Oluwatoyin Odeku of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, said Nigeria had made measurable progress in drug control over the past five years.

“When the NDLEA was re-energised in 2021, many thought the drug war was unwinnable. Today, the data tells a different story, and we have reasons to celebrate,” she said.

Also speaking, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Cheikh Touré, represented by Dr Akanidomo Ibanga, commended the Federal Government for adopting what he described as a balanced and evidence-based approach to drug control.

He reaffirmed the UN agency’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through technical assistance, partnerships and innovative strategies to tackle emerging drug threats.

The event also featured the presentation of prizes to winners of the NDLEA National Secondary School Essay Competition.

Jennifer Ikpeamachi of Federal Government College, Enugu, won the first prize of ₦500,000 and a trophy, while Aliyu Kama of General Murtala Muhammed College, Yola, received the second prize of ₦300,000. Chiagoziem Ikechukwu of Mimshak Academy, Abia State, secured the third prize of ₦200,000.

Established in 1989, the NDLEA is Nigeria’s principal agency responsible for combating illicit drug trafficking, reducing substance abuse and coordinating rehabilitation programmes.

In recent years, the agency has expanded intelligence-led operations, strengthened international partnerships and increased public awareness campaigns as part of a comprehensive strategy to address evolving drug-related threats across the country.