NDLEA reports 10 million kg drug seizures and over 57,000 arrests, strengthening Saudi Arabia ties in war on narcotics

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed it seized more than 10 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs and arrested 57,792 suspects between 2021 and 2024.

Also read: NDLEA arrests Thai woman, foils multiple drug smuggling attempts across Nigeria

This significant milestone was announced by NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, during the signing of a new partnership agreement with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday.

According to a statement issued in Abuja by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the agency’s cooperation with Saudi authorities over the past decade has led to major breakthroughs in intelligence sharing, enforcement operations, and transnational investigations.

“In the last four years alone, we have made over 57,792 arrests, including 65 high-profile drug barons,” Marwa stated. “These efforts resulted in the seizure of more than 10 million kilogrammes of various illicit drugs, the conviction of 10,572 offenders, and the rehabilitation of 22,047 drug users across our 33 treatment centres.”

The NDLEA boss highlighted how collaboration with Saudi counterparts has supported ongoing crackdowns at Nigeria’s international airports.

He noted that between November 2007 and January 2025, a total of 44 suspects were arrested in 35 outbound drug trafficking cases at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport. These busts led to the seizure of 37.6 kilogrammes of cocaine and other narcotics.

One of the most notable operations occurred in September 2021, when Saudi-provided intelligence enabled the NDLEA to intercept a 74.12-kilogramme shipment of Captagon opioids at Apapa Port in Lagos.

The container, which originated from Syria, had been under surveillance for five months and marked the first-ever Captagon bust on African soil.

Marwa also referenced a joint investigation in August 2023, where the arrest of three Nigerian women—Zulaihat Adam, Binta Nasidi, and Rashidat Abdullahi—in Jeddah prompted swift action by NDLEA operatives.

Their Nigerian accomplices were swiftly identified and apprehended, leading to the dismantling of the trafficking network.

This renewed NDLEA-GDNC partnership underscores Nigeria’s commitment to international collaboration in fighting drug trafficking.

Also read: NDLEA seizes 1,960kg of cannabis, arrests six foreigners at Lagos beach

With drug-related crimes increasingly transnational, Marwa emphasised that cooperation between nations remains crucial in dismantling global trafficking rings.