The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has disclosed that it seized a total of 9,959,340.9 kilograms of hard drugs and arrested 57,792 suspects between 2021 and 2024, including 65 drug barons.
According to the PUNCH, a document released by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed that within the same period, NDLEA secured 10,572 convictions while 22,047 persons were counseled and sent to rehabilitation centres.
“From January 2021 to December 2024, the NDLEA recorded 57,792 arrests, seized 9,959,340.9kg of drugs, secured 10,572 convictions, and counseled and rehabilitated 22,047 persons”, Babafemi stated.
He further noted that 1,229.3 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed, while 9,239 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization programmes were conducted in schools, reaching over 3.3 million participants
The report highlighted a surge in drug seizures in 2024, with 2,726,837.80kg of drugs confiscated and 17,670 suspects arrested, a significant rise compared to 2023, which saw 1,606,799.1kg of drugs seized and 13,664 arrests made.
In 2024 alone, 3,427 convictions were secured, 8,129 persons counseled and rehabilitated, and 3,812 WADA lectures held in schools. The NDLEA also destroyed 220 hectares of cannabis farms.
Similarly, in 2022, the agency seized 2,145,336kg of drugs and arrested 14,152 suspects(13,026 males and 1,126 females). That year, 2,348 convictions were recorded, and 2,352 individuals were sent to rehab.
For 2021, NDLEA arrested 12,306 suspects, seized 3,480,368kg of drugs, and secured 1,385 convictions. It also destroyed 405.704 hectares of cannabis farms.
Reacting to the increasing drug busts, the Western Zone Secretary of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Stanley Ezenga, attributed the rise in drug trafficking to the high returns on investment.
“One of the reasons people go into drug trafficking is because of the massive returns, despite the risks. It’s a high-risk, high-reward business, especially in a tough economic situation,” Ezenga stated.
He, however, commended the NDLEA for its relentless efforts in tackling drug trafficking.
“No matter how hard traffickers try to conceal drugs, NDLEA will detect and arrest them. Beyond that, we must recognize that hard drugs are a major societal menace,” he added.
On his part, National Protocol Officer of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Riwane Amuni,
blamed the trend on the get-rich-quick mentality among Nigerians.
“It’s just the urge to get rich quickly that is pushing people into drug trafficking. That’s what I feel,” Amuni said.
Despite the alarming figures, NDLEA has reiterated its commitment to intensifying the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.
