NDLEA arrests 14,480 traffickers, seizes record 2.4m kg of illicit drugs in 10 months

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested 14,480 suspected drug traffickers between January and October 2024, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), has revealed.

Marwa disclosed this yesterday while briefing members of the House of Representatives Committee on Narcotic Drugs during their oversight visit to the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja. He noted that the arrests were linked to the seizure of 2.4 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs at seaports, airports, land borders, and communities across Nigeria.

“With the record of work done by the agency in the past 10 months, we can say with certainty that we are on course to beat the performance of the previous three years,” Marwa said.

Providing further details, he stated: “Between January 1 and October 30, 2024, we recorded 14,480 arrests of drug offenders, including 15 drug barons. Within the same period, we secured 2,867 convictions in court—far exceeding our achievements in each of the past three years.”

Marwa added that the NDLEA successfully destroyed 547,378 kilogrammes of cannabis plantations and carried out 3,064 awareness campaigns in schools, motor parks, places of worship, workplaces, and communities, reaching over 1.3 million people. The agency also counselled and rehabilitated 6,655 drug users during the same period.

He highlighted key milestones achieved in 2024, including the largest single heroin seizure in NDLEA’s history—51.90kg intercepted at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in February—and life imprisonment sentences secured for some notorious drug traffickers.

Marwa commended lawmakers for their support and urged them to remain steadfast in providing resources to enable the agency to maximise its operations.

“We have come a long way from being an agency grossly emasculated due to lack of resources to a government organ that is now up and doing,” he said. “We are only a short distance away from attaining full strength to achieve all our set objectives that will make Nigeria safe from the scourge of illicit drugs.”

Chairman of the House Committee on Narcotic Drugs, Abass Adigun, praised the NDLEA leadership and personnel for their dedication despite challenging conditions.

“As we conduct our oversight responsibilities, I assure you of our committee’s unwavering support in ensuring that the NDLEA remains adequately equipped to fulfil its mission,” Adigun said. He pledged to advocate for improved funding, modern tools, and a conducive working environment for the agency.