President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to tackling substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking through innovative, evidence-based interventions, while commending the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its remarkable achievements in combating drug-related crimes across the country.
According to an official signed statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, the President gave the assurance on Friday during the grand finale of activities marking the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Abuja. He was represented at the event by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” President Tinubu said the changing dynamics of the global drug problem require continuous vigilance, innovation and stronger collaboration among governments and stakeholders.
He observed that the impact of illicit drugs extends beyond individual users, disrupting families, educational institutions, workplaces and national security.
The President said his administration, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, is addressing the root causes of substance abuse by expanding access to education, promoting skills acquisition, supporting entrepreneurship, creating employment opportunities and implementing social intervention programmes aimed at reducing youth vulnerability to drug abuse and criminal recruitment.
He stressed that efforts to reduce drug demand must be complemented by stronger measures to disrupt supply through improved border security, enhanced surveillance at airports, seaports and land borders, better intelligence gathering and closer cooperation among national, regional and international law enforcement agencies.
President Tinubu also underscored the importance of science, technology and reliable data in combating drug trafficking, noting that strengthening forensic laboratories, improving technological capabilities and supporting scientific research remain critical to identifying emerging drug trends and prosecuting offenders effectively.
The President commended the leadership of the NDLEA under its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), CON, OFR, as well as the courage and professionalism of the Agency’s personnel.
He praised the Agency for recording increased arrests, seizures, convictions, multi-billion-naira forfeitures, rehabilitation programmes, advocacy campaigns and the dismantling of organised drug trafficking syndicates, including those responsible for operating the country’s largest methamphetamine laboratories.
While describing the achievements as evidence of his administration’s zero tolerance for organised crime, the President maintained that government alone cannot win the war against drugs.
He therefore called on parents, educational institutions, religious and traditional leaders, the media, the private sector, civil society organisations and international partners to support national efforts aimed at preventing drug abuse and promoting rehabilitation.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), disclosed that the Agency had made significant operational gains through intelligence-driven enforcement over the past 18 months.
According to him, the NDLEA arrested 29,262 suspects, seized 5,305,484.88 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs valued at more than N1.5 trillion and secured the conviction of 5,225 offenders during the period.
He also revealed that the Agency dismantled major transnational drug trafficking networks through joint operations with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) and law enforcement agencies in Greece, France and Switzerland.
Among the major breakthroughs, Marwa highlighted the dismantling of the notorious Amadi Simon drug cartel, the arrest of a 63-year-old Nigerian drug baron, Innocent Anochili, alongside three Mexican nationals and six Nigerian accomplices involved in methamphetamine production, as well as the discovery and destruction of another large clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The NDLEA Chairman said the Agency’s sustained offensive against drug trafficking has resulted in the arrest of no fewer than 234 major drug barons over the past five years, significantly weakening organised criminal networks.
Beyond enforcement, he said the Agency has intensified its Drug Demand Reduction initiatives through the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting 6,645 sensitisation programmes across schools, worship centres, workplaces, markets, motor parks, correctional facilities and communities, reaching nearly five million Nigerians.
Marwa added that 13,508 drug users had received counselling, treatment and rehabilitation at the Agency’s 31 rehabilitation centres nationwide within the same period.
He disclosed that the NDLEA is strengthening the use of technology, deep-web intelligence, advanced data analytics and enhanced forensic capabilities to identify emerging drug threats, while implementing Africa’s first Alternative Development Programme to provide cannabis farmers with sustainable alternative livelihoods through legitimate agricultural activities.
Delivering the guest lecture titled “Celebrating Progress and Inspiring Collective Actions Against Drug Abuse,” Professor Oluwatoyin Odeku of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, said Nigeria had recorded notable progress in drug control over the past five years, attributing the achievements to the renewed commitment of the NDLEA.
Also speaking, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mr. Chiekh Touré, represented by Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, commended the Federal Government for adopting a balanced approach that combines supply reduction with demand reduction while promoting evidence-based interventions and respect for human rights.
The event also featured the presentation of prizes to winners of the NDLEA National Inter-Secondary School Essay Competition. Miss Ikpeamachi Jennifer of Federal Government College, Enugu, emerged overall winner and received a cash prize of N500,000 and a trophy, while Aliyu Kama of General Murtala Muhammed College, Yola, and Chiagoziem Ikechukwu of Mimshak Academy, Mbawsi, Abia State, won the second and third prizes respectively.
Several government officials, lawmakers, development partners and representatives of key institutions also attended the event and reaffirmed their support for sustained efforts to eliminate drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Nigeria.
