To curb the rising tide of substance abuse in Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that 62,595 drug suspects have been arrested between January 2021 and March 2025.
Of these, 11,628 have been successfully prosecuted and convicted, while over 10.3 million kilograms of illicit drugs were seized during the same period.
The revelation was made during a high-level training workshop organized by the NDLEA for members of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF), held on Tuesday, in Abuja.
The event aimed to build capacity among state first ladies to champion grassroots drug control initiatives.
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Delivering a keynote address through Hajiya Laila Barau, wife of the Deputy Senate President, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu commended the NDLEA’s sustained efforts.
She stressed that the fight against drug abuse must begin within communities, families, and schools.
“This training cannot be coming at any better time than now when statistics and daily life experiences reveal that drugs have infiltrated every nook and cranny of our communities,” Senator Tinubu said.
“I urge us to continue to provide the right direction through prevention initiatives, advocating for those whose voices have been silenced by addiction, providing community interventions to support recovery and reintegrate people into communities after treatment. ”
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Retd) emphasized the urgency of a nationwide, community-based response to the drug menace.
“Nigeria is not immune to this scourge, which steadily infiltrates every stratum of our society,” he stated.
“The magnitude and impact of the drug crisis render the attainment of our national aspiration—improving the health and security of all who dwell within our borders, as enshrined in the National Drug Control Master Plan 2021–2025—a daunting yet inevitable task for any government and people worthy of the name.”
Marwa detailed the NDLEA’s recent achievements, which include identifying and destroying 1,330 hectares of cannabis farms, counselling 24,375 drug users, and conducting over 10,500 sensitization programmes nationwide under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
“Since it is at the community level that the burden of the drug menace is most acutely felt. This gathering must strive for common ground, developing indigenous and pragmatic solutions that go beyond mere statistics and harrowing headlines, addressing instead the real and harrowing human toll of drug abuse,” he added.
He also urged states to activate or revitalize State Drug Control Committees (SDCCs) as a collaborative platform for drug demand reduction.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative, Cheikh Toure, echoed this sentiment, asserting that real progress hinges on local government and state-level ownership.
“When you speak, communities listen. When you act, local governments follow,” he told the First Ladies, urging them to channel their influence into creating community counselling centers, mobilizing resources, and adopting culturally relevant strategies.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Daniel Amankwaah of the ECOWAS Drug Prevention and Control Division emphasized the economic and social toll of drug abuse on West African societies.
He called for sustained investment in prevention and recovery infrastructure.
Expert facilitators at the workshop included Dr. Martins Agwogie, Prof. Akintunde Oyedokun, Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, Dr. Kunle Adeshina, Dr. Abubakar Salami, and Dr. Ngozi Madubuike.
The NDLEA stressed that while progress has been made, the battle is far from over. “The cost of inaction,” Marwa warned, “is infinitely higher than the cost of collective action.”
