In a strong show of public-private partnership, APM Terminals Apapa has teamed up with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to combat drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria’s port corridors, particularly in Apapa and Tin Can Island.
The collaboration was part of activities marking the 2025 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The global event, commemorated annually on June 26, aims to foster international cooperation in the fight against drug abuse. This year’s theme, “The Evidence Is Clear: Invest in Prevention, Break the Cycle”, underscores the urgent need to build resilient societies by addressing the root causes of drug use through education, healthcare, justice, and social development. It also calls for breaking the grip of organised crime on global drug trafficking.
Welcoming attendees at the event in Apapa, Assistant Comptroller General of Narcotics, Buba Wakawa, Commander of the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command, described the theme as a perfect match for the objectives of the agency’s flagship campaign, War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), initiated by NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd).
Wakawa revealed that the Apapa Command had successfully intercepted 14 containers laden with psychotropic substances in the past year, including 744,635 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 36,652,460 tablets of tramadol, weighing a combined 132 tonnes.
“That’s almost 36 million tablets of tramadol that never made it into our streets. The implications for our society, if they had, would have been catastrophic,” he said, crediting the feat to the synergy between the NDLEA and other security agencies.
He warned that the fight against drugs must be a collective societal effort. “Our common enemies are the drug peddlers who fuel insecurity and destroy the health of our youth. No one is exempted from the consequences of drug abuse,” he stated.
Supporting the cause, the Commander of NDLEA’s Tin Can Strategic Command noted that the command has seized over 30 tons of illicit drugs — including amphetamines, tramadol, codeine, and cocaine — within the past year. He emphasized the importance of intelligence-sharing, citing collaboration with British border agencies and other international partners to trace shipments from drug-exporting countries such as Brazil, Malaysia, and Canada.
He added that maritime collaboration was essential: “We work with shipping lines and port operators to track suspicious cargo. The manifest is a critical document, and we rely on accurate data to intercept illicit substances before they enter Nigeria.”
Representing APM Terminals at the event, Health and Safety Executive Emmanuel Uko affirmed the company’s full commitment to the anti-drug campaign.
“We say, let’s break the cycle. At APM Terminals, we stand firmly with NDLEA. We support this initiative not only as a corporate social responsibility but because we see the real-life consequences when truck drivers and port users operate under the influence,” Uko said.
He emphasised that APM Terminals enforces a strict zero-drug-and-alcohol policy and is keen on collaborating further with the NDLEA to strengthen port safety protocols.
“This issue goes beyond compliance — it’s about saving lives. We will continue to review our internal processes and explore new ways to support NDLEA’s efforts,” he added.
The event highlighted a united front in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking, blending government enforcement with private sector advocacy and reinforcing the urgent call to “invest in prevention” to build safer communities.
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