The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), has disclosed that the agency has convicted 14,225 drug trafficking offenders in 77,792 arrests in the last five years.

He made the disclosure at the 11th Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CCEO), Awards and Commendation ceremony held at the Agency’s National Headquarters on Monday in Abuja

The NDLEA Chief revealed that those arrested include 128 barons, and over 14.8 million kilograms of illicit substances were seized.

Marwa warned that the era of Nigeria serving as a safe haven for criminal drug enterprises is over.

“When I first resumed in 2021, I promised to take the fight to the doorstep 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 enterprises.

“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, among them 128 identified drug barons central to major trafficking networks. We seized a total of 14,847,486.34 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs, thereby significantly disrupting both local and transnational supply chains,” he said.

He explained that, through structured treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation programmes, 32,442 drug users received professional intervention, while 13,735 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities were held across schools, motor parks, workplaces, places of worship, and communities, expanding preventive awareness and citizen engagement nationwide.

The CEO urged NDLEA officers to prepare for more tactically sophisticated operations against drug cartels, barons and their mules over the next five years of his second tenure.

Noting that these achievements would not have been possible without the support of the executive, legislature and the judiciary, Marwa expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his unflinching support and the trust reposed in his leadership.

“These achievements are not accidental. They are the result of discipline, leadership, intelligence-led operations, and clear performance expectations,” he said.

Marwa stated that the successes of the past five years are merely a foundation, adding, “In this second tenure, we will escalate the war against drug abuse and trafficking to new heights of efficiency and results.”

“The next phase of our operations demands even more grit and 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.

“The expectation is sustained pressure until every drug baron, trafficker, and courier, and every gram of illicit drugs, are removed from our streets and communities. There will be no retreat and no complacency.”

The 11th CCEO Awards honoured gallant personnel who have demonstrated exceptional courage and integrity in the line of duty.

Marwa charged the awardees to view their plaques and certificates as reminders that their hard work is valued, and urged the rest of the force to find inspiration in their achievements.

“As we are all aware, the Commands Awards and Commendations are an internal reward mechanism that follows our bi-annual appraisal. They are enshrined in our corporate culture and act as a boost to individual and collective commitment to the attainment of organisational goals.

“I believe that everyone in this organisation is in agreement that we now have a sense of urgency about our assignment.

“There is no gainsaying that our dedication to duty has been the driving force behind our good performance; at the same time, it is also not an exaggeration to say that our good performance is catalysed by motivation,” he added.