NDLEA's 18-Month Crackdown Yields 29,262 Arrests, N1.5tn Drug Recovery

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a significant breakthrough in its anti-narcotics campaign, disclosing that it apprehended 29,262 suspected drug traffickers, confiscated illicit drugs valued at over N1.5 trillion, and secured 5,225 convictions within the last 18 months. This information was revealed on Friday in Abuja by the agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), during the closing ceremony of events marking the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

According to a statement issued to Saturday PUNCH by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Marwa highlighted the agency’s intensified intelligence-driven operations against drug syndicates. These efforts have led to major successes in dismantling transnational trafficking networks. He specifically mentioned the recent collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and law enforcement bodies in Greece, France, and Switzerland, which resulted in the collapse of the notorious Amadi Simon drug cartel.

Marwa further disclosed, “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.” The agency also successfully located and dismantled an industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine production facility in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, where a Mexican national and four other individuals were apprehended.

Reflecting on broader achievements, Marwa stated that over the past five years, the NDLEA has arrested no less than 234 suspected drug barons connected to major trafficking networks. He reiterated the 18-month statistics, emphasizing that the 29,262 arrests, the seizure of 5,305,484.88 kilograms of various illicit drugs exceeding N1.5 trillion in value, and the 5,225 convictions represent more than just figures. “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 asserted.

On the prevention front, Marwa noted that the agency executed 6,645 awareness campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative. These campaigns reached nearly five million Nigerians in diverse settings, including schools, religious centers, workplaces, markets, motor parks, communities, and correctional facilities. Additionally, 13,508 drug users received counselling, treatment, and rehabilitation services across the NDLEA’s 31 rehabilitation centers nationwide during the same period.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, reaffirmed his administration's unwavering commitment to combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking. Speaking on the theme, “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” the President pledged that the Federal Government would bolster law enforcement, foster innovation, and strengthen international collaborations to dismantle drug cartels. He also vowed to address the root causes of substance abuse through the Renewed Hope Agenda.

President Tinubu commended Marwa and the NDLEA personnel for their remarkable achievements, including increased arrests, seizures, convictions, asset forfeitures, successful rehabilitation programs, and the dismantling of organized drug trafficking networks, notably those operating some of the country’s largest methamphetamine laboratories. He stated, “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.” However, the President stressed that the government alone cannot win the war against drug abuse, urging parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders, the media, and the private sector to lend their support to prevention, rehabilitation, and awareness efforts.

Delivering the guest lecture, Prof. Oluwatoyin Odeku from the Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, acknowledged the measurable progress made in Nigeria’s fight against illicit drugs over the last 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 remarked.

Also present, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Cheikh Touré, represented by Dr Akanidomo Ibanga, applauded the Federal Government’s balanced and evidence-based approach to drug control. He reiterated UNODC’s commitment to providing technical assistance, fostering partnerships, and offering innovative solutions to help Nigeria address its evolving drug challenges.

The event also featured the presentation of awards to the winners of the NDLEA National Secondary School Essay Competition. Jennifer Ikpeamachi of Federal Government College, Enugu, emerged as the first-place winner, receiving N500,000 and a trophy. Aliyu Kama from General Murtala Muhammed College, Yola, secured the second prize of N300,000, while Chiagoziem Ikechukwu of Mimshak Academy, Abia State, was awarded the third prize of N200,000.