The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has seized over 15 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit substances and secured more than 15,000 convictions between January 2021 and May 2026.
The Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
Babafemi said the agency also recorded more than 80,000 arrests within the same period, as part of sustained intelligence-led operations and coordinated enforcement efforts across the country.
The figures, according to him, reflect the agency’s intensified campaign against drug trafficking and abuse under the leadership of the NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, since January 2021.
What they are saying
Babafemi explained that the agency’s operational model is anchored on proactive intelligence gathering and global collaboration, rather than reactive enforcement.
He said the NDLEA continuously tracks international drug trafficking patterns and works closely with partner agencies across the world to stay ahead of criminal networks.
- “We try not to be reactive; we want to be proactive. Our operations are 100 per cent intelligence-led. We monitor drug trafficking trends across the globe and partner with leading drug enforcement and security agencies worldwide.”
- “That has enabled us to be well-positioned and remain steps ahead of drug trafficking syndicates.”
He further disclosed the scale of enforcement outcomes achieved within 65 months of operations.
- “In the last 65 months, NDLEA recorded more than 80,000 arrests, seized over 15 million Kilo Grammes of assorted illicit substances and secured more than 15,000 convictions,” he said.
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The agency also expanded its demand-reduction strategy during the period, carrying out more than 14,000 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities nationwide.
Babafemi added that over 50,000 people received counselling, treatment, and rehabilitation services through NDLEA’s 30 rehabilitation centres across the country.
He said the agency’s strategy is to disrupt drug networks before substances reach communities, stressing a shift toward preventive enforcement.
- “We will rather take the battle to the traffickers at their doorstep than wait for illicit consignments to be distributed, he said, adding that it is better “stop them before they find their way into our streets and communities than begin mopping them up after distribution.”
What you should know
Just yesterday, NDLEA said it auctioned four forfeited properties belonging to convicted traffickers for a total of N6.15 billion, including a six-floor hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, which alone accounted for N5.9 billion.
- In earlier enforcement operations, the agency reported a series of major seizures and arrests that underscore the scale of the drug trade it is confronting.
- In April, operatives raided three drug warehouses in Lagos, recovering opioids valued at N16.9 billion in one of the agency’s largest recent interceptions.
- A month earlier, NDLEA arrested three persons living with disabilities for alleged trafficking across Anambra and Kwara states, while also uncovering 2,326 kilogrammes of Loud cannabis worth over N5.8 billion in Lagos.
