Agency Nabs 77,792 Suspects, Seizes 14.8mkg Drugs In 5 Years

Chairman and chief executive officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Marwa (rtd), has revealed that the agency arrested 77,792 suspected drug traffickers, including 128 barons, in the last five years.

He disclosed that the agency secured 14,225 convictions and seized over 14.8 million kilogrammes of illicit substances during the same period.

Marwa stated this in his remarks at the 11th Chairman/Chief Executive Officer  Awards and Commendation Ceremony held at the NDLEA national headquarters in Abuja yesterday.

The event marked the commencement of Marwa’s second tenure, who was reappointed by President Bola Tinubu.

He said, “When I first resumed in 2021, I promised to take the fight to the doorsteps of the merchants of death. Today, the numbers speak for themselves. Through our collective resilience, we have sent a clear message that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for illicit drug enterprise.

“It’s therefore heartwarming to note that in the last five years, we recorded significant operational successes, including the arrest of 77,792 drug offenders, including 128 identified drug barons who were central to major trafficking networks. We seized a total of 14,847,486.34 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs, thereby significantly disrupting both local and transnational supply chains.

“In further strengthening the criminal justice response to drug offences, the Agency successfully prosecuted and secured convictions against 14,225 offenders, reinforcing deterrence and affirming that drug crime attracts consequences.

“In line with our balanced approach, the Agency also prioritised drug demand reduction. Through structured treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation programmes, 32,442 drug users received professional intervention. Additionally, 13,735 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities were conducted across schools, motor parks, workplaces, worship centres, and communities, expanding preventive awareness and citizen engagement nationwide.

Addressing the officers, men and women of the agency, Marwa said, “The next phase of our operations demands even more grit and more tactical sophistication. We will not rest until every drug baron is behind bars, every trafficker is intercepted, every mule is caught, and every single gram of illicit drug is removed from our streets and communities.

“There is no room for complacency. We must remain proactive, intelligence-led, and ruthless in our pursuit of those who seek to destroy our youth and our national security.

Let me be clear: the objective of this Agency remains the total disruption of drug trafficking and the protection of our communities. The expectation is sustained pressure until every drug baron, trafficker, courier, and every gram of illicit drugs is taken out of our streets and communities. There will be no retreat and no complacency.”