The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested more than 16,304 drug suspects and seized 4.5 million kilograms of illicit substances between January and October 2025.
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, revealed the figures on Wednesday in Abuja at the 7th Security and Emergency Management Awards and Lecture (SAEMA), where he reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to tackling Nigeria’s drug crisis through what he described as a two-pronged approach of supply reduction and demand reduction.
Marwa explained that the supply-reduction strategy targets the shutdown of drug supply pipelines through intelligence-led operations, interdictions, and strengthened international collaboration. He said the method has continued to yield results, with thousands of offenders arrested, cartels dismantled, and large consignments of narcotics intercepted across the country. According to him, NDLEA officers “remain resolute and execute their job without fear or favour.”
Within the first 10 months of the year, the agency recorded over 16,304 arrests and secured at least 3,000 convictions, while hundreds of related cases are still being prosecuted in court. During the same period, NDLEA operatives seized 4.5 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and destroyed more than 612 hectares of cannabis farms.
Marwa stressed that enforcement alone cannot solve Nigeria’s drug problem, noting that the second pillar of the agency’s strategy—demand reduction—is designed to drastically reduce the number of users. He said awareness, prevention, and treatment remain critical components. “If we wake up tomorrow and no one is demanding cocaine or cannabis, the market will dry up and the suppliers will be out of business,” he said.
He highlighted the agency’s nationwide advocacy drive through the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, describing it as a broad grassroots movement involving schools, markets, religious centres, and communities. NDLEA has carried out more than 3,765 WADA engagements—public lectures, sensitisation visits, and community outreach programmes—in 2025 alone.
Marwa also underscored the importance of treatment and rehabilitation as part of efforts to reduce demand. He said the agency currently operates 30 rehabilitation centres across the country, offering medical care, counselling, and reintegration support for recovering drug users. He added that NDLEA is expanding its treatment capacity through collaborations with state governments, NGOs, and international partners to make recovery more accessible.
