* Lauds NDLEA’s leadership, officers’ courage and professionalism

* 5.3m kilogrammes of drugs worth N1.5trn seized in one and a half years, says Marwa

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Friday assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to eliminating the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking through evidence-based, innovative interventions.

The president noted that the consequences of the drug scourge extended far beyond individual users, severely disrupting families, schools, workplaces and overall national security.

According to him, government is confronting these challenges through a well-coordinated, multi-faceted approach.

His words: “My administration remains committed to creating an environment in which young Nigerians can thrive and succeed. Through the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are expanding access to education, promoting skills development, supporting entrepreneurship, creating employment opportunities and implementing social interventions that address some of the underlying factors that make individuals vulnerable to substance abuse and criminal recruitment.

“At the same time, we recognize that reducing demand must be matched by decisive action to disrupt supply. This requires stronger border management, enhanced surveillance of ports, airports, seaports and land crossings, improved intelligence gathering and closer collaboration among national, regional and international law enforcement agencies. Criminal organizations operate across borders, and our response must be equally coordinated and effective.”

Tinubu, who gave the assurance in Abuja during the grand finale of celebrations to mark the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, was represented at the event by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

Speaking on the theme of this year’s event, ‘The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,’ Tinubu stressed that the evolving nature of the global drug problem demands constant vigilance, adaptability and collective action.

The president noted that science, technology and reliable data have become indispensable tools in this effort, adding that “We must continue to strengthen our capacity to collect, analyse and apply data so that emerging trends are identified early, interventions are properly evaluated and strategic decisions are informed by facts.

“As illicit drug markets evolve, our ability to detect and identify drugs and precursor chemicals must evolve as well. Strengthening forensic laboratories, enhancing technological capabilities and supporting scientific research will remain essential if we are to stay ahead of emerging threats. Our criminal justice system must continue to receive the support it needs to deal effectively with drug-related crimes. Law enforcement officers, investigators, prosecutors and the courts all have important roles to play in ensuring that criminal organizations are disrupted and offenders are held accountable under the law.”

Tinubu praised the leadership and personnel of the NDLEA for their relentless crusade against drug cartels, saying: “I wish to commend the officers, men and leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency under the able leadership of Brigadier- General Mohamed Marwa (rtd). Their dedication, courage and professionalism have yielded remarkable achievements in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts which have earned Nigeria recognition and respect both within Africa and across the international community.”

The president, while reminding the audience that the world drug problem is a shared challenge requiring a shared response, called on the civil society, international partners, and individual citizens to reinforce their commitments to creating safer, healthier, and drug-free societies for future generations.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier-General Marwa, stated that Nigeria stands in lockstep with the global community, while reaffirming the country’s unyielding resolve against one of the most persistent threats to public health, national security, social stability, and human development.

According to him, “In the face of these sophisticated threats, the NDLEA has not blinked. We remain resolute. Over the past year, the Agency has recorded monumental operational successes through intelligence-driven enforcement, dismantling seemingly untouchable syndicates and executing unprecedented seizures across our airports, seaports, land borders, and deep in the forests in communities.

“To those who think they can operate with impunity, our recent spectacular operational breakthroughs send an unmistakable message: there is no safe haven. In a masterclass of transnational intelligence sharing, the NDLEA, in seamless collaboration with the US-DEA, and law enforcement authorities from Greece, France, and Switzerland, successfully dismantled the notorious Amadi Simon drug cartel.

“With same zeal and vigour, we have effectively neutralized a highly sophisticated, cross-continental methamphetamine cartel. This operation led to the historic arrest of a 63-year-old Nigerian drug baron, Innocent Anochili, alongside three Mexican nationals and six other Nigerian accomplices, completely disrupting a major synthetic drug pipeline.

“And closely coming on the heels of this was the discovery of yet another industrial scale clandestine meth laboratory deep in the forest of Tapa village, Ibarapa North LGA, Oyo State, where a Mexican and four others were arrested and their multibillion-naira infrastructure of death shut down and dismantled.”

He noted that the Agency’s achievements are backed by an aggressive, relentless five-year campaign that has fundamentally broken the spine of drug trafficking in the country with the arrest of no fewer than 234 drug barons coordinating the operations of major drug networks dismantled during the period.

According to him, in the last 18 months alone, the Agency has made a total of 29,262 arrests leading to the seizure of 5,305,484.88 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs valued at over N1.5 Trillion and 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.

While noting that enforcement alone cannot solve the drug problem, Marwa said the NDLEA has aggressively expanded its Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) initiatives.

“Through our War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, we have conducted 6,645 drug use prevention focused sensitization and awareness creation programmes in schools, worship centres, work places, markets, motor parks and communities, and correctional facilities, among others, equipping nearly five million Nigerians with the life skills to resist drug abuse. Equally significant is the counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of 13,508 drug users across our 31 rehab centres spread all over the country within the same period.”

He said in line with this year’s focus on innovative responses, “we are strengthening our use of technology, deep-web intelligence gathering, and advanced data analytics to identify emerging drug trends before they hit the streets”, adding that: “We are radically upgrading our forensic and chemical analysis capabilities to improve the detection of precursor chemicals and new, exotic psychoactive substances.

“Also important is our first in Africa Alternative Development Programme. This significant game-changing strategy is an initiative fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. Alternative Development is about giving illicit cannabis growers an alternative source of legitimate income through the growing of licit crops like cassava, maize, cowpeas, cocoa etc thereby achieving sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment.”

While expressing sincere appreciation to “President Tinubu for his support and encouragement to the Agency and demonstrated immense political will towards the fight against drug abuse and trafficking”, he equally thanked local and international partners; civil society organizations, the media and community leaders for supporting the work of the Agency.

Marwa also commended NDLEA personnel, calling them “the thin green line standing between safety and chaos, working tirelessly day and night to protect our nation”.

He expressed confidence that through sustained cooperation, cutting-edge innovation, and shared responsibility, “we can overcome current challenges, neutralize emerging threats, and build a safer, healthier, and more prosperous Nigeria for generations to come”.

Delivering a lecture titled ‘Celebrating Progress and Inspiring Collective Actions against Drug Abuse,’ the guest lecturer, Prof Oluwatoyin Odeku of the Department of Pharmaceuticals and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, noted that there’s a reason to celebrate the milestones achieved in the fight against illicit drugs in the past five years.

“First, let us celebrate. Because celebration fuels courage. When 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 stated.

Also speaking, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative, Chiekh Toure, who was represented by Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, commended the Federal Government for its continued commitment to addressing the drug problem through a balanced and coordinated approach.

“The leadership of institutions such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Federal Ministry of Health, and other critical stakeholders demonstrates a growing recognition that effective drug control must integrate both supply and demand reduction, underpinned by evidence and respect for human rights.

“At UNODC, we are privileged to support these national efforts by advancing innovative, evidence-based responses that align with global standards and national priorities.”

He reaffirmed UNODC’s unwavering commitment to supporting Nigeria in this critical endeavour, adding that: “We stand ready to continue providing technical expertise, fostering partnerships, and promoting innovative solutions that respond to the realities on the ground.”