*Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman/CEO, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, lauds President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his administration’s strategic backing for the agency’s mandate, and partnerships with several stakeholders, stating behind every kilogram of narcotics destroyed lies a story of a young life at risk, a family torn apart by addiction, and communities endangered by drug-related crime and impaired driving in Nigeria
Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
Pursuant to orders of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in the open, has destroyed 329,865.585 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs with an Estimated Street Value (ESV) of N301,058,076,000 in an exercise, in Lagos.
The NDLEA said the illegal products destruction exercise disposed of uncontested concluded cases and abandoned seizures in the economy.
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ConsumerConnect reports the anti-narcotics regulatory agency also said of the total consignment, 246,864.535 kilograms that its operatives through the Lagos Strategic Command between April 2025 and May 2026, while 83,001.05 kilograms came from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Tincan and Apapa Strategic Commands, as well as the Marine Command and a Special Operations Unit, all operating within Lagos State.
Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Monday, August 17, 2026, also stated that destroyed illicit drugs comprised mainly cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis of different strains including Canadian Loud and skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup and other opioids, as well as khat leaf.
Marwa: How narcotics destroy consumers’ lives
Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NDLEA, spoke Monday, at the scene of the exercise held at Navy Town, in Ojo area of
Marwa described the exercise as a bold demonstration of Nigeria’s resolve to protect its people and deny criminal enterprises the resources they need to thrive.
The Chairman/CEO of the agency noted that behind every kilogram of narcotics destroyed lies a story of a young life at risk, a family torn apart by addiction, and communities endangered by drug-related crime and impaired driving.
He also noted that the destroyed illegal consignments represented more than the elimination of contraband.
On dangers of illicit drugs, substances to Nigerians, economy
Illegal drugs weaken the country’s labour force, raise healthcare costs, discourage investment and drain public resources that should go into education, healthcare and infrastructure, stated Marwa.
Every consignment intercepted by the agency, he noted, saves the country billions of Naira in potential losses linked to addiction, crime and social dislocation.
The Chief Executive of NDLEA also linked the trade in illicit drugs to Nigeria’s broader security challenges.
The Director of Media and Advocacy as well said that drug trafficking helps to fund organised crimes, terrorism, and violent extremism globally.
According to the statement, by seizing and destroying such substances, the agency is strengthening the country’s national security architecture.
Marwa, therefore, commended the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his administration’s strategic backing for the agency’s mandate, as well as the partnership of the Judiciary, the Lagos State Government, the Military, sister security agencies, international partners, civil society, traditional institutions, the media and members of the public.
He equally paid tribute to NDLEA personnel across the country, particularly those serving in Lagos while acknowledging the risks and sacrifices they make in the course of their duty.
Issuing a stern warning to drug barons, traffickers, financiers, distributors and dealers, the NDLEA Chairman declared that their days of operating with impunity are over.
Marwa further stated: “Wherever you hide, whoever sponsors you, and however, sophisticated your network may be, the long arm of the law will reach you.”
The Chairman of NDLEA as well vowed that the agency remains resolute, relentless and uncompromising in pursuing and dismantling every criminal network and its financial spine.
He, therefore, urged all Nigerians, parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders, and the media to become active stakeholders in the war against illicit drugs, stressing that the battle cannot be won by the NDLEA alone.
In his goodwill message, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), noted that the “NDLEA deserves all the accolades they have received from local and international partners.”
Adeniyi stated: “It is not just about the size of what we are seeing but about the scope of what has been taken from operations conducted in our seaports, at our airports, at our land borders.
“This, therefore, represents a very strong message to drug dealers that they are no longer welcome in Nigeria.”
The Chief Executive of Nigeria Customs noted that there’s a nexus between drug dealers and violent non-state actors because drugs continue to provide the oxygen for their crimes.
Said he: “Bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, insurgents, terrorists, this is their oxygen.
“And so, the destruction that we are going to witness today is symbolic of two things: drug dealers are going to be losing investments worth billions of Naira and we are going to be denying non-state violent actors the necessary oxygen that they need for their heinous crime and as we hope that we suffocate them, deny them access to this kind of thing, we believe that this will continue to be their lot.
“They will continue to invest and they will continue to lose their investments.
“I want to commend the chairman of NDLEA and in fact all our officers and men operatives throughout our commands who are responsible for this.”
Similarly, Vice-Admiral Idi Abbas, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), represented by Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, FOC Western Naval Command, assured of continued support for Nigeria’s drug control efforts being coordinated by NDLEA.