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NDLEA nabs couple, one other with 1,125 rounds of ammunition, uncovers illicit drugs packaged as Christmas cookies, arrests distributors in Lagos

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  By Ebinum Samuel     Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered and dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks with two masterminds arrested and taken into custody after a raid on their hideout in Lekki area of Lagos. The drug syndicate run by the duo of Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colourful designer sachets with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them, and used to package the psychoactive substance in retail quantities. Following credible intelligence about the activities of the syndicate which operates and distributes through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 22nd November 2025 raided their apartment at Ojulari street, Ikate area of Lekki where a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5kilograms of Loud were recovered from them at the point of their arrest. In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 27th November arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin Philip Ucheka while taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at Ladipo area of Mushin. At the point of his arrest, three delivery vehicles were also seized from him. At a courier company in Lagos, 100grams of Loud concealed in teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted on Thursday 27th November while a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium going to the United Kingdom were recovered at another logistics firm the following day, Friday 28th November. In Oyo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Lagos -Ibadan expressway on Saturday 29th November nabbed a suspect Wasiu Kareem, 55, with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 590 bottles of codeine syrup; 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol. No fewer than seven suspects were arrested on Monday 24th November when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe forest in Akoko South East area of Ondo State where they recovered 3,077 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis. Those arrested include: John Ede; Ede Ndubuisi; Ikenna Abe; Eze Chukwuma; Maduabuchi Odo; Nnaji Chudubem and Gorge Okowor.     While Anthony Sylvester, 49, was arrested along Okene/Lokoja highway Kogi state conveying 649kg skunk in a truck on Wednesday 26th November, NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command on Friday 28th November raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos where they arrested a suspect Abubakar Shuaibu, 33, with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg. In Kano, Tsalha Alasan, 47, was arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 137kg skunk on Monday 24th November, while three suspects: Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38, were nabbed on Wednesday 26th November with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209kilograms at Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, Bauchi state. A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them. A suspect John Ekojo, 51, was arrested with 210.15kg skunk along Abuja/Jos highway on Saturday 29th November, while a couple: Abdullahi Abubakar, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35, were nabbed along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize just as another suspect Awwal Sabiu, 20, was caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Friday 28th November. With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Junior Technical School, Kofar Kudu, Kano; Bright Eyes International School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; dock workers and clearing agents at the Tincan Port, Lagos; Legacy International College, Nsukka, Enugu; and Seatos School, Ikorodu, Lagos, among others. While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Seme and Bauchi Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

KIDNAPPED COUPLE IN EDO STATE :POLICE LAUNCHES INTENSIVE SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION

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By Ebinum Samuel

 

 

The Edo State Police Command says its has been drawn to a video currently circulating on social media alleging the kidnapping of a couple in Aviele.

 

The Command, according to the imafe maker,CSP Joel Moses Yamu, wishes to inform the general public that upon receipt of the information, all necessary operational and investigative mechanisms were immediately activated to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the arrest of the perpetrators.

 

Yamu said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc has further directed a thorough investigation into the incident, and all persons found to be complicit—whether directly or indirectly—will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with extant laws

 

Members of the public are advised to remain calm and continue to provide credible information that may assist ongoing investigations. The Command reiterates its unwavering commitment to the security and safety of all residents of Edo State.

 

Further updates, ge disclosed will be provided as the investigation progresses.

Security Expert Urges Technology to Secure Nigeria’s Porous Borders

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By Ebinum Samuel

 

 

Security expert Bone Efoziem has called for increased technological measures to monitor and secure Nigeria’s porous land, air, and sea borders.

 

Speaking at the 2025 Annual Lecture and Awards Ceremony of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) in Ikeja, Efoziem emphasized that most security threats entering Nigeria, ranging from arms smuggling to insurgency, come through unmonitored land routes rather than official airports or seaports.

 

He noted that many villages along the borders serve as informal entry points, making it difficult for conventional border security to function effectively.

 

“Almost every village around the border is a potential route into the country,” Efoziem said. “Even security officers on the ground cannot monitor all these points effectively. This is where technology, like drones and remote monitoring systems, becomes essential.”

 

He stressed that current equipment and manpower are insufficient to tackle insurgents and armed criminals operating along the borders.

 

Highlighting the limitations, Efoziem noted that soldiers often face better-equipped insurgents with night vision goggles and heavier weaponry, while border surveillance remains largely manual.

 

The expert called for redefining border security strategies and integrating technology to detect illegal movements, track suspicious activities, and enable rapid intervention.

 

He also urged community engagement platforms to allow Nigerians to anonymously report cross-border threats, improving real-time intelligence collection.

 

“Strengthening border security with technology is critical to reducing the flow of arms, drugs, and criminals into Nigeria,” Efoziem said, stressing that proactive monitoring is the only sustainable solution to the nation’s border challenges.

Over 6,800 Nigerians Killed in First Half of 2025 — Lusty Raises Alarm at CRAN Lecture

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By Ebinum Samuel

 

 

Over 6,800 Nigerians were killed in the first half of 2025, a figure highlighting the country’s worsening security crisis, Engineer Mustapha Kazeem Lusty said while delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Annual Lecture and Awards Ceremony of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) in Ikeja.

 

Titled “Harnessing Technological Innovations for Crime Prevention and Control in Nigeria,” Lusty’s presentation called for a complete overhaul of the nation’s security architecture through the deployment of advanced technological systems capable of detecting, preventing, and disrupting crime in real time.

 

Addressing security stakeholders, including representatives of the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other stakeholders, Lusty warned that traditional approaches were no longer sufficient.

 

He cited additional statistics: over 5,400 people abducted in the same period, and in March 2025 alone, 179 deaths, 115 injuries, and 217 kidnappings were recorded within just two weeks. The Nigeria Violent Conflict Database shows that banditry accounted for nearly 75% of all kidnapping victims in 2024, while National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data records 51.9 million criminal incidents between 2023 and 2024, with ransom payments costing an estimated N2.2 trillion.

 

Lusty said the rising death toll and insecurity had eroded public trust in security institutions, pushing citizens toward self-help. To reverse the trend, he proposed a six-step framework, including AI-powered early warning systems, a National Intelligent Vision Centre, encrypted community reporting platforms, deployment of surveillance drones and body-worn cameras, secure communication networks, and strengthened digital financial monitoring.

 

He stressed that localisation of technology, stronger forensic and cyber capabilities, joint intelligence dashboards, and transparent public security reporting were essential for sustainable reform.

 

While acknowledging that technology alone cannot solve the root causes of insecurity, Lusty emphasised that combining innovation with strong institutions, community engagement, and ethical governance could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.

NDLEA busts illicit drug warehouse, recovers N6.7 billion opioids, arrests baron, 5 others

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By Ebinum Samuel

This is a clear statement you’re no longer untouchable, we’ll smoke you out of your hiding, Marwa warns drug barons

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) continued their offensive action against drug syndicates in a nationwide crackdown with the dismantling of an opioids cartel in an intelligence-led operation during which a baron Onyekachi Pius Nwanagu and five members of his gang were arrested with illicit substances worth over N6.7 billion recovered from their secret warehouse in a residential estate in Lagos.
Following credible intelligence that the drug trafficking organisation (DTO) was about distributing over 7.2 million pills of tramadol 225mg and 526,200 bottles (52.6 million mls) of codeine syrup warehoused in a residential compound located at 23 Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri area of Isolo, Lagos state, ahead of the Christmas festive season, officers of a Special Operations Unit of NDLEA led a well coordinated operation between Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th November 2025 to round up members of the syndicate and dismantle their criminal network.
Two members of the DTO: Egbo Innocent Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel were trailed and arrested at Apple Junction, Festac area of Lagos on Wednesday 19th November while conveying 300 cartons of opioids in a truck. A follow up operation to the syndicate’s warehouse at Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor the following day Thursday 20th November led to the arrest of Onyekachi Nwanagu and other members of his syndicate including: Nwoye Sunday Ali; Nnacho Ogochukwu; and Oraghalia Chukwuebuka Philip.

 

In all, a total of Seven Million Two Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand (7,272,000) pills of tramadol 225mg worth Three Billion Nine Hundred and Sixty Million Naira (N3,960,000,000) and 53 million mills of codeine syrup valued at over Two Billion Seven Hundred and Sixty Two Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N2,762,550,000), bringing the combined value of the seized drugs to Six Billion Seven Hundred and Twenty Two Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N6,722,550,000.00) only in street value were recovered and moved out of the estate in eleven trucks to NDLEA’s central exhibit complex in Lagos.
While commending the Commander and operatives of the Special Operations Unit as well as those of Strike Force Unit involved in the dismantling of the syndicate, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) praised the officers’ professionalism and dedication, describing the breakthrough as a major blow to the cartels preying on Nigeria’s youth.
“This is not just an arrest; it is a clear and unambiguous statement. The seizure of this colossal volume of illicit drugs, which could have fueled addiction, crime, and insecurity across our nation, represents a victory for the Nigerian people and a confirmation of our unwavering commitment to the mandate given to us by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, Marwa stated.
He emphasized that the Agency’s focus remains squarely on the kingpins and financiers of the illicit drug trade. “The days when drug barons thought they were untouchable are over. The arrest of this drug baron and his criminal cohorts, following an intensive intelligence operation, serves as a stark reminder that the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with every merchant of death, no matter how high or deeply concealed they think they are.”

Fear grips Kogi community as bandits deploy chemical substances to sedate victims before abductions

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Residents of Egbe town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State are living in fear following reports that bandits have adopted a disturbing new method in their operations spraying chemical substances in homes to sedate victims before abducting them.

Local security operatives confirmed that the community was hit by two separate attacks in the early hours of Monday, November 24, 2025. The incidents have triggered urgent warnings and increased calls for vigilance among residents.

According to security sources, the first attack led to the kidnapping of two residents. Another individual narrowly escaped after managing to send a distress message to local security volunteers. However, by the time responders arrived, the attackers had already fled into the surrounding bush with their captives.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits targeted the home of a staff member of ECWA Hospital in Odorum around 11 pm, jumping the perimeter fence and spending over 90 minutes inside the compound while spraying a chemical substance described as similar to “turari,” which caused sudden weakness in anyone who inhaled it.

The resident, who was not in his usual room, regained enough strength to alert security forces, allowing vigilantes to fire warning shots and force the intruders to flee, rescuing the victim.

Later in the day, another abduction attempt near Baba Labourer/Government Secondary School was thwarted by Egbe vigilante operatives, with no one taken.

The use of chemicals to incapacitate victims has heightened fear across the community, with residents warning that bandits are becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous.

Local residents commended Egbe’s vigilante groups for their resilience, bravery, and rapid response, noting that their courage remains critical in preventing further tragedies in Yagba West.

Authorities are still assessing the situation, but early indications suggest there were no casualties, and the local security outfit successfully defended the area.

Communities in Yagba East and Yagba West, particularly those bordering Kwara State, have experienced a disturbing rise in armed attacks, kidnappings, and other violent crimes in recent months, including the abduction of a timber supplier and one of his workers in Okoloke last Tuesday.

No attack on any Delta school, says police command

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The Delta State Police Command has disowned the information that the Girls’ Secondary School, Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale, was invaded on 24th November 2025 at around 9.30am.

 

In a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the command described the reports as “entirely false and misleading.”

 

Edafe explained that, “The panic originated from misinformation circulated among students and was further amplified by unverified online reports suggesting community anxiety and alleged gunshots.

 

“Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, immediately ordered a coordinated response and deployed the DCO Kwale Division, SP Udofia Kufre, to lead a patrol team for immediate on-the-ground verification and security assessment.

 

“The Vice Principal of the school and the security man on duty were interviewed, and both confirmed that no attack occurred and that the panic emanated solely from misinformation among students.

 

“As a precautionary measure, adjoining schools within the Kwale axis were visited and all were found to be calm, safe, and in a normal academic session.

 

“Parents who rushed to pick up their children are advised to remain calm, as the earlier rumour has been decisively addressed and normalcy has been fully restored.”

 

CP Abaniwonda has warned against the spread of unverified rumours capable of causing fear or disrupting academic activities.

 

He reiterated the command’s resolve to respond swiftly to any credible threat while ensuring the safety of all educational institutions across the state.

 

He further urges school authorities to strengthen internal communication, promptly report suspicious observations to the nearest police formation, and maintain close collaboration with local security outfits to enhance monitoring around school environments.

Meth, cocaine consignments in machine cylinders, auto parts intercepted at Lagos airport

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By Ebinum Samuel

 

 

As NDLEA launches heavy crackdown on DTOs nationwide: arrests 9 kingpins; recovers tons of illicit drugs in flight boarding pass, others; nabs ladies for selling Colos-laced brownies online

 

In a blistering crackdown on drug trafficking organisations across the country, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have dismantled no fewer than six syndicates leading to the seizure of tons of assorted illicit drugs and the arrest of nine kingpins in series of intelligence-led interdiction operations.

In one of such operations, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 18th November 2025 arrested two members of a drug trafficking organization in Onitsha, Anambra state when they showed up to take delivery of 5.40 kilograms of methamphetamine; 10.70 kilograms of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis; 16grams of cocaine; 200grams of phenacetin; 200grams of methcathinone and 100grams of caffeine concealed in pressure machine cylinders imported from South Africa.

The first to show up at a logistics company in Onitsha for the collection of the consignments was 30-year-old electrical appliances dealer Ebulue Lotanwa Uzochukwu who was promptly arrested while shortly after, another member of the syndicate 51-year-old South Africa returnee Christopher Michael Ndibuisi showed up and was equally arrested.

The consignments had arrived the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja-Lagos with airway bill number 118-12882973 arriving from South Africa on a Tag-Angola flight on 13th November 2025 and was immediately seized based on credible intelligence. A follow up sting operation was thereafter organized in Onitsha, Anambra state where the recipients: Uzochukwu and Ndibuisi were arrested.

 

 

In another operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 20th November

intercepted a brake servo automobile part used to conceal 48 pellets and a block of cocaine

with a gross weight of 2.30 kilograms packed among other auto parts going to Gabon.

Following the arrest of a freight agent Ameh Solomon who presented the consignment for export, a follow up at ASMPDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Lagos led to the arrest of an auto parts dealer Nwafor Tochukwu Boniface.

In Kogi state, NDLEA operatives on Monday 17th November intercepted a trailer conveying 4,700 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis at Kabba. Three suspects: Solomon Dauda, Friday Garba and Daniel Danladi accompanying the consignment were arrested while a follow up operation in Jos, Plateau state on Friday 21st November led to the arrest of the kingpin who owns the trailer and the illicit drug consignment, Marcus Danladi Dan Mangu.

A couple: 55-year-old Onun Okoi Okpotum and his wife 52-year-old Itam Okoi Okpotum were on Wednesday 19th November arrested at their warehouse located at 13 Park road, Ugep Yakur LGA, Cross River state where 362 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 4,706 kilograms were recovered.

In Edo state, two ladies: Praise Nwogu, 19, and Ebong Emem Oghosa, 25, who specialize in the production and online sale of brownies laced with illicit drugs were on Saturday 22nd November arrested in Benin city. At the point of their arrest, Praise Nwogu, was found with 12 plates and a cup of drug-laced brownies laced while Ebong Emem Oghosa, was nabbed with 76grams of skunk, 1.5grams of Colorado and drug-laced brownies. A raid at Ososo village, Akoko Edo LGA, on Tuesday 18th November led to the arrest of 35-year-old Shedrack Aminu, who was found with 59kg skunk.

Operatives on patrol along Enugu/Onitsha road, Enugu on Wednesday 19th November intercepted a suspect Chinoso Emmanuel Monday, 24, conveying 10.1kg skunk; 105,600 pills of tramadol 250mg, 225mg and 100mg as well as 700 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3000 rounds of live ammunition.

In Kebbi state, 13,155 bottles of codeine-based syrup were evacuated from a warehouse located at Dole-Kaina, Dandi LGA, while a 23-year-old suspect Umar Adamu was arrested with 12,548 pills of opioids concealed in paracetamol containers heading to a Boko Haram enclave in Minok area of Borno state on Friday 21st November.

Two suspects: Anthony Mercy, 40, and Sunday Augustine, 39, were on Monday 17th November arrested with 430.5kg by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abaji- Abuja expressway in the FCT, while Samson Dafe, 47, was arrested at Dikko junction, Kaduna road, Tafa LGA, Niger state on Tuesday 18th November conveying 85,100 pills of opioids and 5,456 bottles of codeine syrup in his Sharon vehicle marked ABJ 114 BV. The premises of a suspect Sani Mohammed in Anguwan Makera Kuta, Shiroro LGA was on Thursday 20th November raided with 437 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 471.8 kilograms recovered.

In Lagos, a suspect Usman Ayoola Adegoke was arrested in connection with the seizure of

139 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 71kg at an apartment in Lekki while a lady Oluchi Celestine was on Tuesday 18th November nabbed in Lekki with 2.6kg Colorado packaged in branded containers and some concealed in flight boarding cards.

Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives supported by some military personnel on Monday 17th November raided the notorious Peti illicit drug enclave, Lagos Island where 385 kilograms of skunk, Loud and Colorado were recovered and two suspects arrested.

No less than 163,200 capsules of tramadol 225mg were also recovered in another operation at a motor park in Maza Maza area of Lagos.

With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Baptist High School, Ilero, Oyo state; St. Michael Anglican Primary School, Afuye Epe, Lagos; Government Day Senior and Junior Secondary School, Kurami, Katsina; Women Day Secondary, Kontogora, Niger state; Government Day Secondary School, Takatuku, Sokoto; St. Paul’s College, Eke, Enugu; and Iwoye Area Community High School, Iwoye, Ogun state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kogi, Edo, Cross River, Enugu, Kebbi, Niger, Borno and FCT Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

Justifying the current heavy crackdown on drug trafficking syndicates, Marwa said the coming festive season is usually a period often exploited by criminal elements, hence the Agency has decided to launch a relentless offensive on drug trafficking cartels across the nation. “The coming weeks present both an opportunity and a challenge. Drug cartels may attempt to increase their illegal activities, seeking to profit during the busy holiday period. We must not, and we will not, let down our guard”, he added.

NDLEA intercepts cocaine shipment from Brazil, detains ship, 20 Filipino crew members

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By Ebinum Samuel

 

Nigeria is not, and will never be your foothold, Marwa warns drug cartels

Barely six months after 10 Thai sailors and their ship were convicted and fined $4.3million
for bringing 32.9kg cocaine into Nigeria, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have again intercepted another commodity laden vessel- MV Nord Bosporus marked 9760110 from the port of Santos in Brazil at the Apapa seaport in Lagos with no less than 20 kilograms of the Class A drug buried under its cargo.
The illicit drug consignment was discovered on board the vessel on Sunday 16th November 2025 by NDLEA officers who thereafter took the Master of the ship, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus and 19 other crew members who are all Filipinos into custody for investigation.
Following the seizure and arrest of the crew members, the Agency filed an application for an order of court for the detention of the vessel and the 20 Filipinos on board for further investigation. The motion ex-parte in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25 was argued before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, who on Thursday 20th November 2025 granted the application for an initial 14 days detention of the vessel, Capt. Corpus and 19 other Filipino crew members.
Preliminary investigation revealed that this was the first time the vessel was coming to Nigeria and Africa as it’s been largely transporting coal between Colombia and Brazil while Captain Corpus has been barely three months with the ship.
The Agency had in a similar circumstance arrested 10 sailors who are nationals of Thailand on 13th October 2021 on board a vessel named MV Chayanee Naree for trafficking 32.9 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport. Nine Nigerian suspects were also arrested along with the Thai crew members. The 10 Thai sailors and the vessel were eventually convicted on Thursday 15th May 2025 by a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor who also fined them $4.3 million.

 

In his reaction to the latest significant seizure of 20kg cocaine on board MV Nord Bosporus, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the officers, men and women of the Apapa Strategic Command of the Agency as well as the Directorate of Seaport Operations for their vigilance, diligence and professionalism.
​Marwa said the cocaine seizure is not just an operational success but “a clear demonstration of our heightened capacity and unwavering resolve”, adding that “we will continue to tighten our grip on all entry and exit points, especially our seaports, which transnational criminal organisations have historically attempted to exploit.”
According to him, “Let this be an unambiguous message to every international drug cartel and every internal collaborator: Nigeria is not, and will never be, your space or your foothold. The NDLEA is operating with zero-tolerance, and we will not permit any illicit drug to pass through our borders, whether by air, land, or sea. You may scheme, you may attempt sophisticated concealment, but you will fail. Our intelligence network, collaboration with international partners, and the dedication of our officers are steps ahead of your nefarious activities.”
For any Nigerian who chooses to collaborate with foreign syndicates in the illicit drug trade, the NDLEA boss reminded them of the consequences of such. “You are not just committing a crime; you are betraying your nation’s future. The consequences of aiding and abetting drug trafficking will be severe and unrelenting. We are committed to using the full force of the law to dismantle your structures, seize your illicit assets, and secure your long-term incarceration”, he warned.

Securing Nigeria from illicit drugs, other vices a shared responsibility, says Marwa

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By Ebinum Samuel

Assures NDLEA ’ll build on past successes in his 2nd tenure as CISLAC boss Rafsanjani, Gen. Olukolade, others commend Agency’s efforts

 

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has said that the task of securing Nigeria from the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking as well as other social vices must be seen and treated as a shared responsibility by all stakeholders.
Marwa who stated this in his keynote address at the 7th Security and Emergency Management Awards and Conference (SAEMA 2025) hosted at the NDLEA’s national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday 19th November 2025 assured that the Agency will build on the successes of the last five years during his second tenure with aggressive interdictions and compassionate treatment, rehabilitation and prevention programmes.
“The task before us—securing our nation—is a shared responsibility. The awards presented today are a reminder that all security agencies, emergency responders, and civil society partners are working towards the same goal: a safe, stable, and prosperous Nigeria.
The NDLEA remains committed to this cause, determined to build on the successes of the past few years. We will continue to adopt a balanced approach—placing equal emphasis on Supply Reduction through aggressive interdiction and Demand Reduction through compassionate treatment and prevention.
“This menace demands a multi-sectoral response involving law enforcement agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, educators, the media, and the entire community. This is why I can’t but commend IMPR and its partners for this initiative as well as choosing “Drug Control and National Security: Innovations for a Safer Tomorrow” as the theme for SAEMA 2025”, he stated
He said as an Agency with the mandate to curb illicit drug problems, the NDLEA under his leadership has responded to the challenge and pursued a two-pronged strategy.
According to him, “the first aspect of the strategy is Supply Reduction, which entails closing down the supply pipelines of illicit drugs. We do this through intelligence-led operations, interdictions, and international collaborations. By these means, we have intercepted tons of narcotics, dismantled cartels, and prosecuted offenders. From our borders to our airports and seaports, our officers remain resolute and execute their job without fear or favour. “Gratifyingly, we are getting good results. In the first 10 months of this year alone, we have recorded over 16,304 arrests and have successfully prosecuted and secured the conviction of about 3,000 drug offenders with hundreds of cases ongoing in court. In the same vein, we have seized 4.5 million kilograms of illicit substances. We go the extra mile deep into the forests to locate cannabis plantations and destroy them. In these operations, we have destroyed 612.2864 hectares of cannabis farms within the same 10-month period.

 

“The second aspect of our strategy is Demand Reduction, which entails ensuring a near-zero demand for illicit drugs by users. Our demand reduction activities are built around the recognition that enforcement alone is insufficient to effectively curb the instances of drug abuse. First, people must be made aware of the dangers of using these illicit substances, and persuaded not to experiment with them no matter the circumstance. Second, those who are already users need to be cured of their dependence and weaned off the substances. To this end, we launched a social advocacy campaign, the War Against Drug Abuse, which we often refer to acronymically as WADA. This comprehensive, grassroots-driven initiative is designed to awaken every citizen, family, and institution to their role in the collective effort to stamp out the ills of illicit drugs in our society.
“Through WADA, we have entered schools, markets, places of worship, traditional institutions and communities to spread the message that drug abuse is not a private vice but a national menace. In 2025 alone, we have criss-crossed this country and reached nooks and crannies with our public awareness campaign. We have conducted over 3,765 WADA activities comprising public lectures, sensitisation visits and other engagements. Till today, officers of our 36 state commands, 14 zonal commands and 10 strategic commands engage in weekly WADA activities.
“The other part of our demand reduction strategy is treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of drug users. These are very important activities that must balance our offensive effort. To simplify its importance, I usually reference the law of demand and supply. Where there is no demand, there will not be supply. If we wake up tomorrow and no one is demanding cocaine or cannabis, the market will dry up and the suppliers would be out of business. But that cannot happen unless you treat those who have become dependent on the substances and need their fix regularly. The NDLEA runs 30 rehabilitation centres across the country, offering medical treatment, counselling, and reintegration support for those struggling with addiction. We are expanding these facilities and partnering with state governments, NGOs, and international allies to ensure that recovery is possible and accessible”
He thanked the event organisers—Image Merchants Promotion Limited, the Centre for Crisis Communication, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, and the International Emergency Management Society—for choosing NDLEA to host this year’s ceremony, and for the honour they continue to bestow on institutions and individuals working tirelessly to safeguard Nigeria.
In his remarks at the event, the Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani commended Marwa for providing good leadership for NDLEA “to redeem and reform our country from people that are determined to destroy our young people. His work, you can see it every day. Every day we hear drugs being intercepted and taken out from the hands of the public. The incredible amount of work that Gen. Marwa is doing to this country, I don’t think people have even sat down to reflect. Because if you see the danger that our young people have been going through as a result of taking drugs, it’s incredible. Equally important, we know that there’s no way you can also detach issues of drugs abuse with the issues of security in this country.”

 

He said the award ceremony was “a recognition to the people that have been making sacrifices in this country. A lot of security personnel are making huge sacrifices for this country, for us to live in peace. Sadly, many of them have died and not much appreciation from the public.
“So for us, as an organization, we appreciate the tremendous work that our security personnel are doing in this country. And we will continue to support every effort to boost their morale, to give them the necessary credible information so that they can continue to make this country safe and better for us. Both at the level of Amnesty International, which I chair the board, Transparency International, which I head, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, which I also head, we’re all in this solidarity and support to the tremendous effort that our security personnel are putting in this country. And we will continue to support them and we will continue to ensure that we urge other Nigerians to also do the same.”
Others who spoke in same light include the Chairman, Centre for Crisis Communication, Gen. Chris Olukolade (rtd); Chairman, Image Merchants Promotion Ltd, Prof Sule Yau Sule and the MD/Editor-in-Chief, PRNigeria, Yushau Shuaib. The event also witnessed the presentation of a book: Anti-Drug, Anti-Smuggling Campaigns A Corpers’ Chronicle written by two Youth Corps members: Arafat Abdulrazaq and Tahir Ahmad.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of ‘Outstanding Personality of the Year’ award to Marwa and ‘Outstanding Crisis Communicator of the Year’ award to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, while other agencies honoured include the Nigerian Army, Airforce, DSS, EFCC, ICPC, and NCoS among others.