The Delta State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded 200 arrests in its ongoing crackdown on drug-related offences between January and April 2026, highlighting rising concern over substance abuse in the state.

The State Public Relations Officer, John Kennedy, confirmed the development yesterday, stating that the agency remains committed to tackling illicit drug activities and will enforce the law without regard to status.

He said the command has intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, focusing on primary and secondary schools across the state’s three senatorial districts to curb drug use among young people through early prevention and awareness.

As part of the initiative, WADA clubs have been established in schools to encourage student participation in anti-drug advocacy. Kennedy noted that peer-to-peer engagement has proved effective in influencing behavioural change among youths.

“The involvement of students in awareness campaigns is critical. When young people educate and influence one another, the message resonates more deeply,” he said.

He added that the agency is extending sensitisation efforts to families through religious and traditional institutions, stressing that early upbringing plays a key role in shaping behaviour.

Meanwhile, community leaders and stakeholders in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Council, have raised concern over increasing drug abuse among school-aged children. They called on Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to revive the Delta Edumarshal initiative, a programme aimed at enforcing discipline and ensuring school attendance.

The stakeholders said the situation has worsened in recent years, with students leaving classrooms during school hours and roaming the streets in uniform, engaging in substance abuse and other risky activities.

Sources who spoke anonymously described a shift in attitudes among youths, noting that drug use is increasingly treated as a form of social acceptance rather than a serious risk.

Several locations in Asaba, including Ogbogonogo Market, Ibusa Junction, Market Square, ShopRite Mall, Summit Junction, and Mariam Babangida Road, were identified as hotspots where students allegedly gather, beg for money, and engage in drug-related activities.

Stakeholders recalled that the Edumarshal programme, introduced under former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, helped curb truancy, drug abuse, and juvenile delinquency, but was later discontinued during the administration of Ifeanyi Okowa.

The programme promoted discipline, improved school attendance, and reduced street activity among children by monitoring their movement during school hours.

A former Edumarshal officer, Ajuwa Victor, described the situation as alarming and called for urgent intervention by government and security agencies. He urged authorities to revive effective policies and ensure strict enforcement against those enabling drug abuse among minors.

He warned that failure to act could weaken educational standards, increase youth-related crime, and worsen literacy levels across the state.