NDLEA destroys N301bn worth of cocaine, heroin, opioids, others in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has publicly destroyed 329,865.585 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs worth an estimated N301.058 billion in Lagos.

The destruction, carried out today – Monday, August 17 – at Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos, followed orders of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, and involved illicit drugs linked to concluded, uncontested cases as well as abandoned seizures.

The exercise represents one of the largest publicly documented destructions of illicit drugs by the agency, with the consignments comprising cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, various strains of cannabis, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat leaves.

According to the NDLEA, 246,864.535kg of the drugs were seized by its Lagos Strategic Command between April 2025 and May 2026.

Another 83,001.05kg came from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Tin Can and Apapa Strategic Commands, the Marine Command and a Special Operations Unit operating in Lagos.

Speaking at the exercise, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the destruction as a demonstration of Nigeria’s determination to protect its citizens and deprive criminal organisations of the resources required to operate.

Marwa said the significance of the exercise went beyond the physical destruction of narcotics, noting that every kilogramme of illicit drugs intercepted represented a potential threat removed from Nigerian communities.

He said drug abuse and trafficking could destroy young lives, tear families apart, increase drug-related crime and contribute to impaired driving and other social problems.

According to him, the illicit drug trade also imposes significant economic costs on the country by weakening the labour force, increasing healthcare expenditure, discouraging investment and diverting public resources that could otherwise be deployed to education, healthcare and infrastructure.

The NDLEA chairman further linked drug trafficking to wider national and international security challenges, noting that proceeds from the illicit drug trade could finance organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism.

He said the seizure and destruction of the drugs therefore formed part of the agency’s broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture.

Marwa commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration for their support for the NDLEA’s mandate, while also acknowledging the contributions of the Judiciary, Lagos State Government, military, sister security agencies, international partners, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, the media and members of the public.

He particularly praised NDLEA personnel serving across the country, with special recognition for officers operating in Lagos, for the risks and sacrifices involved in combating drug trafficking.

Issuing a warning to drug barons, traffickers, financiers, distributors and dealers, Marwa said the agency would continue to pursue criminal networks and target the financial resources sustaining their operations.

“Wherever you hide, whoever sponsors you and however sophisticated your network may be, the long arm of the law will reach you,” he said.

Marwa vowed that the NDLEA would remain “resolute, relentless and uncompromising” in its efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and their financial structures.

He also called on parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders, the media and other Nigerians to play active roles in the fight against illicit drug abuse and trafficking, stressing that the responsibility could not be borne by the NDLEA alone.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the scale of the destruction as a sobering reminder of the threat posed by illicit drugs to communities, young people and Nigeria’s future.

Sanwo-Olu, represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said the destruction of nearly 330,000kg of narcotics and psychotropic substances demonstrated what could be achieved when law enforcement agencies, the Judiciary and government worked together.

He said such collaboration was not merely about enforcing the law but also about protecting society, upholding justice and securing a better future for Nigerians.

The governor assured that Lagos State would remain committed to tackling drug abuse and trafficking.

“Lagos State is unwavering in its resolve to confront drug abuse and trafficking, and we will not relent in our efforts to do this,” he said.

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, also commended the NDLEA for its efforts, saying the agency deserved recognition from both local and international partners.

Adeniyi said the significance of the operation was not limited to the volume of drugs destroyed but also the different points at which the seizures were made, including seaports, airports and land borders.

He said the destruction sent a strong message to drug traffickers that Nigeria was becoming increasingly hostile to their activities.

The Customs boss also highlighted the connection between the illicit drug trade and violent non-state actors, including bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, insurgents and terrorists.

According to him, proceeds from drug trafficking provide resources that sustain criminal activities.

He said the destruction of the drugs would therefore deny criminal groups the financial resources required to perpetrate violence, while causing significant financial losses to drug trafficking organisations.

Adeniyi commended Marwa, as well as NDLEA officers and operatives across the country, for their role in the fight against illicit drugs.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented at the ceremony by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, assured the NDLEA of the Nigerian Navy’s continued support for the country’s drug control efforts.

The Navy’s commitment, he said, would further strengthen inter-agency collaboration in tackling illicit drug trafficking and related criminal activities.

The NDLEA said the latest destruction underscored its determination to continue intercepting illicit drug consignments, dismantling trafficking networks and disrupting the financial structures supporting the illegal trade.