The head of Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency has declared that the era of the country serving as a “safe haven” for drug cartels is over, following a massive five-year crackdown that has seen over 100 “barons” taken into custody.
Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), revealed the staggering scale of the offensive during an awards ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday. Since 2021, the agency has arrested 77,792 individuals and seized more than 14.8 million kilograms of illicit substances.
The announcement comes as President Bola Tinubu extended Mr. Marwa’s mandate for a second term, a move the agency chief described as a “call to escalate” the war against trafficking to “new heights of efficiency.”
The ‘Merchants of Death’ in numbers
According to the agency’s latest data, the half-decade offensive has significantly disrupted both local and international smuggling routes.
- Arrests: 77,792 total offenders, including 128 high-level “barons” who managed major trafficking networks.
- Convictions: 14,225 drug offenders successfully prosecuted and jailed.
- Seizures: 14.8 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs removed from circulation.
- Rehabilitation: 32,442 drug users received professional counselling and treatment.
“When I first resumed in 2021, I promised to take the fight to the doorsteps of the merchants of death,” Mr. Marwa told officers at the agency’s national headquarters. “Today, the numbers speak for themselves.”
Shift to ‘sophisticated’ operations
While celebrating the statistics, the NDLEA boss warned that the next five years would require “more grit and tactical sophistication.” He noted that drug cartels are increasingly using technology and complex maritime routes to bypass traditional security.
“There is no room for complacency,” he said. “The next phase of our operations demands that we remain proactive, intelligence-led, and ruthless in our pursuit.”
A balanced approach
Despite the “ruthless” rhetoric aimed at traffickers, the agency emphasized that it is also focusing on the “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA)—a nationwide sensitisation programme. More than 13,000 advocacy activities have been conducted in schools, workplaces, and places of worship to reduce the demand for narcotics among Nigeria’s large youth population.
The NDLEA’s resurgence under Mr. Marwa is widely viewed as one of the most significant institutional turnarounds in Nigeria’s recent security history. However, the agency continues to face challenges, including the rise of synthetic opioids like Tramadol and “Colorado,” which remain popular despite high-profile seizures at Nigeria’s ports.
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