Buba Marwa, the chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), recently reported that the agency has apprehended 14,480 individuals suspected of drug trafficking from January to October of this year.
Gatekeepers News reports that during a briefing with members of the House of Representatives committee on narcotic drugs in Abuja, Marwa highlighted the agency’s efforts, noting that these arrests were linked to the confiscation of 2.4 million kilograms of various illicit drugs.
Also, he revealed that NDLEA operatives successfully identified and eradicated 547,378 kilograms of cannabis plantations and achieved 2,867 convictions during the same timeframe.
“Our seizures in 10 months amounted to 2.4 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs, which also surpassed last year’s record. We can say with certainty that we are on course to beat the performance of the previous three years,” he said.
“Between January 1 and October 30, we recorded 14,480 arrests of drug offenders, including 15 drug barons.
“Within the same period, we were able to secure 2,867 convictions in court. This is far more than what we have achieved in each of the past three years.
“Our seizures in 10 months amounted to 2.4 million kilograms of illicit drugs, which also surpassed last year’s record. We successfully located and destroyed 547,378 kilogrammes of cannabis plantations.
“Similarly, our drug demand reduction figure is on the positive side. In the past 10 months, the agency counselled and rehabilitated 6,655 drug users.
“We conducted a total of 3,064 awareness campaigns and sensitisation lectures in schools, motor parks, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, which reached 1,327,181 people.”
The NDLEA boss said the agency secured the largest single heroin seizure of 51.90 kg in the history of the agency at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos in February.
“We secured life imprisonment sentences for some notorious drug traffickers; the arrest of the most wanted drug barons in Lagos, the recent passage of the NDLEA Act amendment bill, and some of the milestones of the agency in 2024,” he said.
