Abuja: The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested more than 80,000 suspected drug offenders between January 2021 and May 2026. The Director, Media and Advocacy of the agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Babafemi said that the agency also seized over 15 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit substances and secured more than 15,000 convictions through intelligence-led operations and strategic partnerships within the periods under review. Outlining the agency’s response to emerging trends in drug trafficking and substance abuse, he said that the achievements were driven by a deliberate policy of proactive enforcement introduced by the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, shortly after assuming office in January 2021.
Babafemi emphasized that the agency’s policies are designed to anticipate and disrupt criminal activities before they occur rather than merely reacting after the damage has been done. ‘We try not to be reactive; we want to be proactive. Our operations are 100 per cent intelligence-led. We monitor drug trafficking trends across the globe and partner with leading drug enforcement and security agencies worldwide,’ he said. This approach has enabled the agency to stay ahead of drug trafficking syndicates.
In the last 65 months, NDLEA recorded more than 80,000 arrests, seized over 15 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit substances, and secured over 15,000 convictions. The agency also intensified efforts aimed at reducing drug demand through prevention, counselling, and rehabilitation programmes. Babafemi noted that the NDLEA conducted more than 14,000 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities nationwide within the period and that over 50,000 persons received counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation services through the agency’s 30 rehabilitation facilities across the country.
The agency’s intelligence-driven approach allowed it to identify and intercept illicit consignments at the source instead of waiting for them to be distributed within Nigerian communities. Babafemi explained, ‘We will rather take the battle to the traffickers at their doorstep than wait for illicit consignments to be distributed. We will rather stop them before they find their way into our streets and communities than begin mopping them up after distribution.’
Babafemi noted that this strategy had helped the agency save operational and logistics costs while protecting millions of Nigerians from the dangers associated with illicit drug use. According to him, the approach forms part of the agency’s offensive action policy; one of the key operational directives issued by Marwa on Jan. 18, 2021. He said the policy had continued to shape the agency’s operational philosophy and enforcement activities across the country.
On collaboration, Babafemi said that no agency could effectively tackle drug trafficking and substance abuse in isolation. ‘There is no agency or institution that can do it all alone. We work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force, NAFDAC, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Armed Forces and several other institutions,’ he said. The NDLEA has strengthened some of these partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) designed to formalise cooperation and improve intelligence sharing.
Internationally, the agency maintains extensive partnerships with organizations such as the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, UK Home Office International Operations, UK Border Force, UK National Crime Agency, German Police, French Police, Brazilian Federal Police, India’s Narcotics Control Commission, and narcotics control authorities in Saudi Arabia. Babafemi added that NDLEA also collaborates with drug enforcement agencies in several African countries, including Ghana, the Gambia, and Kenya.
Babafemi explained that these partnerships had facilitated intelligence sharing, joint operations, and capacity development, which had significantly enhanced the agency’s operational effectiveness. He also said that the impact of the collaborations was reflected in the agency’s performance statistics over the past 65 months. The achievements underscore the importance of sustained collaboration among local communities, state and federal institutions, and international partners in addressing drug trafficking and substance abuse.
Babafemi reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to intelligence-led operations, proactive interventions, and strategic partnerships to counter emerging threats in the illicit drug trade and safeguard communities across the country.