Leaders in the public sector say the recent amendment of the NDLEA Act by the National Assembly will bolster Nigeria’s drug control efforts when signed by President Bola Tinubu.
Lateef Fagbemi, the minister of justice and attorney general of the federation, and Buba Marwa, the chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, stated this at the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
This is contained in a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, the director of media and advocacy of the agency.
Fagbemi said that the NDLEA has witnessed unprecedented efforts by the NDLEA in the past four years.
Represented by Mohammed Abubakar, the director, public prosecution of the federation, Fagbemi said, “These achievements include arrests and seizures, convictions, elaborate evidence-based drug demand reduction interventions, using the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy platform to sensitise communities on the dangers of drug abuse.
“Consistent gains have been recorded within the global space by fostering international cooperation and building strong partnerships. NDLEA has sustained the fight with renewed energy and vigour, giving hope to the once hopeless situation.
“The Ministry is also providing appropriate support in the area of proceeds of crime management, essential to dismantling the financial networks of drug traffickers.”
Fagbemi said that the ministry of Justice has collaborated with the NDLEA to ensure that the national legal system effectively supports the drug control efforts of the agency.
He stressed that the government is on the verge of finalising the amendment of the NDLEA Act, noting it would enhance the organisational capability of the agency to control the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Scandal Breaks: Nigerian Professor Thrown in Jail Over Forgery, Land Racketeering
“the work of this Inter-Ministerial Committee has been crucial in coordinating a whole-of-government approach to this top burner issue. By bringing together critical stakeholders, we have been able to develop and implement more comprehensive and balanced strategies, applying the collaborative spirit which the NDCMP promotes.”
Speaking at the event, Buba Marwa said that the battle against illicit drug trafficking and abuse across Nigeria has been continuous despite persistent funding constraints.
Marwa reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering commitment to the goals outlined in the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) 2021–2025. He also highlighted the significant potential of the newly amended NDLEA Act to transform Nigeria’s drug control architecture.
“Although financial limitations have impacted full implementation of the NDCMP, we have drawn strength from our collective vision and responsibility,” Marwa said.
“Encouragingly, the amendment of the NDLEA Act by the National Assembly, now awaiting Presidential assent, is a major step that promises to bolster our institutional capacity in drug supply reduction.”
Marwa urged all stakeholders present to recommit to the fight, emphasising that the evolving and multifaceted nature of Nigeria’s drug problem requires renewed energy and unity.
The NDLEA boss also provided a comprehensive assessment of progress made under the NDCMP’s strategic pillars for the years 2023 and 2024, describing achievements under both the supply and demand reduction components as “commendable.”
According to him, the agency arrested 31,334 drug offenders and secured 6,839 convictions over the period. It also seized a staggering 4,333,636.9 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and destroyed over 426 hectares of cannabis farms.
READ ALSO: Terror Returns to Plateau as Seven Killed in Fresh Bloody Attack
On the demand reduction side, Marwa reported that 19,033 individuals received counselling and rehabilitation services, while the agency scaled up nationwide sensitisation campaigns under its flagship War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
“Under the Drug Demand Reduction strategic pillar, we provided counselling and rehabilitation services to 19,033 individuals. By accelerating our WADA sensitisation activities across states, local government areas, wards, and communities, we have been able to intentionally disseminate awareness of the dangers of drug abuse to diverse population groups. This has, in turn, fostered a sense of shared ownership and collective commitment in the national effort to curb substance abuse, trafficking, and proliferation across the country.”
Marwa stressed that while significant ground has been covered under the Fourth National Action Plan, the final stretch of the NDCMP must be met with even greater commitment.
