NDLEA Records 38,242 Arrests, Seizes Drugs Worth N2.5trn in 21 Months

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that it arrested 38,242 suspected drug offenders, seized more than 5.8 million kilogrammes of illicit substances valued at over N2.5 trillion and secured 6,232 convictions between January 2025 and September 2026.

The agency also said that more than 16,303 people received counselling, treatment or rehabilitation within the period, while its drug abuse prevention and sensitisation campaigns reached millions of Nigerians.

The figures were presented at the ongoing 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, where Nigeria showcased its evolving drug control system as an example of how institutional reforms, intelligence-led operations and international cooperation could strengthen the fight against illicit drugs.

The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), presented Nigeria’s position through the agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, on Monday, 12 October 2026.

Speaking under the session’s theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All”, Nigeria highlighted the transformation of its drug control architecture from a predominantly enforcement-focused organisation into an integrated system combining law enforcement, public health interventions, technology, financial investigations, alternative livelihoods and international cooperation.

Marwa said the transformation had become necessary because of the growing sophistication of drug trafficking networks, the increasing use of technology for illicit activities and the ease with which criminal proceeds move across international borders.

According to him, the impact of drug dependence on individuals, families and communities has also made it necessary for the country to adopt a broader approach that addresses not only drug trafficking and offenders but also the criminal networks, illicit profits and social vulnerabilities sustaining the trade.

“Trafficking networks have become more sophisticated, technology has opened new channels for illicit activity, criminal proceeds move rapidly across borders, and drug dependence continues to affect individuals, families and communities,” he said.

He added that Nigeria had consequently expanded its approach beyond the interception of illicit substances and the arrest of offenders to tackling the wider structures that enable the drug economy to thrive.

The NDLEA said the shift had produced results in both drug supply reduction and demand reduction, with its operational activities increasingly targeting major traffickers, organised criminal structures and the financial networks supporting the illicit trade.

Marwa stressed that the effectiveness of drug control should not be assessed solely by the number of arrests made or the quantity of drugs seized, arguing that dismantling the financial and organisational structures behind trafficking was equally important.

He said the agency was placing greater emphasis on identifying and disrupting the criminal networks that facilitate the production, transportation and distribution of illicit drugs, as well as tracing the proceeds used to sustain their activities.

The approach, he explained, reflects the need to make drug trafficking more difficult and less profitable while strengthening measures to prevent substance abuse and support people affected by drug dependence.

Beyond enforcement, Nigeria also highlighted its efforts to provide sustainable economic alternatives to communities involved in illicit drug cultivation.

One of the initiatives cited was the NDLEA’s Alternative Development programme, which is being piloted in three communities in Ondo State.

Under the initiative, residents are being supported to move away from illicit cannabis cultivation towards legitimate agricultural production.

Marwa said the programme recognised that eliminating illicit cultivation required more than destroying prohibited crops or prosecuting those involved in their production.

According to him, communities must have access to viable economic opportunities that allow them to earn legitimate incomes while contributing to food security, community resilience and national security.

The initiative is intended to address some of the economic vulnerabilities that make illicit cultivation attractive to rural communities, while encouraging sustainable livelihoods that can reduce their dependence on the illegal drug trade.

The NDLEA also presented its adoption of digital technology as a significant part of its institutional reforms.

Among the tools highlighted were the Drug Integrity Test and the Visa E-Administration System, which the agency said demonstrated how technology could improve accessibility, efficiency, transparency and integrity in public administration.

The systems form part of wider efforts to modernise the agency’s operations, improve service delivery and strengthen public confidence in its activities.

Marwa said the reforms were being consolidated under the National Drug Control Master Plan 2026–2030, which provides a framework for coordinating the country’s response to drug-related challenges.

The plan is built around six pillars: drug supply reduction; drug demand reduction; access to controlled medicines; governance and coordination; alternative development; and disruption of the illicit drug economy.

The framework is designed to bring enforcement, prevention, treatment, institutional coordination and economic interventions into a more coherent national response.

Nigeria told the General Assembly that restoring public trust required institutions to demonstrate tangible results, while managing transformation demanded sustained partnerships between governments, international organisations and other stakeholders.

Against this background, the country called on the international community to strengthen intelligence-sharing among law enforcement agencies and other relevant institutions to prevent trafficking networks from exploiting gaps between national jurisdictions.

It also urged countries to intensify efforts against the illicit financial economy through financial investigations, asset tracing and the recovery of proceeds derived from criminal activities.

Nigeria further called for greater investment in drug prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration, stressing that these interventions must complement effective law enforcement.

The country maintained that a balanced approach was necessary to address both the supply of illicit drugs and the conditions that sustain demand, including substance dependence and the vulnerabilities affecting individuals and communities.

On alternative development, Nigeria urged international partners to expand support for programmes that help communities abandon illicit cultivation and establish sustainable, legitimate sources of income.

It also called for increased investment in the capacity of law enforcement officers, noting that drug trafficking organisations continued to evolve through technological innovation and increasingly sophisticated criminal methods.

According to the Nigerian delegation, enforcement agencies must have the skills, equipment and intelligence capabilities required to respond effectively to these changing threats.

The country further appealed for greater support for institutions in developing countries, particularly in areas such as technology, training, forensic capabilities, treatment infrastructure and sustained technical assistance.

It argued that strengthening institutions was essential to ensuring that international commitments translated into measurable results on the ground.

Nigeria’s presentation also underscored the importance of cooperation among member states, the United Nations and international partners in confronting drug trafficking, which frequently operates across national boundaries.

The government maintained that no country could effectively address the challenges posed by transnational drug networks in isolation, given their ability to exploit differences in national laws, enforcement capabilities and intelligence systems.

It therefore urged countries to move beyond declarations of commitment towards practical implementation, coordinated operations and sustained investment in drug control institutions.

While presenting Nigeria’s experience as a continuing process rather than a completed model, the delegation expressed the country’s readiness to share lessons from its reforms and learn from the experiences of other nations.

Nigeria reaffirmed its willingness to work with member states, the United Nations and international partners to strengthen collective responses to drug trafficking and substance abuse.

The delegation said the ultimate objective should be to translate international cooperation into practical action, institutional transformation into measurable delivery, and shared commitments into more effective protection for individuals and communities affected by illicit drugs.