By RhemDy News
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have announced weeklong activities to commemorate the 2026 World Drug Day.
The Nigerian anti-narcotics agency also vowed to continue targeting the criminal drug networks with the aim of effectively cutting off their lifeblood.
Spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this through a statement said the activities for the event was announced at a joint press briefing by both anti-narcotics agencies at the NDLEA's headquarters in Abuja, on Friday.
In his address at the conference, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) described the World Drug Day, observed globally on June 26, as a “vital occasion during which our collective efforts against the illicit drug menace are evaluated, refined, and given a definitive policy direction for the subsequent 12 months.”
Speaking on the theme for the 2026 World Drug Day: "The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses", Marwa said it underscores the evolving dynamic of the global drug landscape.
"It acknowledges that while old battlegrounds remain, new synthetic threats, sophisticated trafficking networks, and digital illicit markets have emerged, demanding that we counter them with proactive, technology-driven, and highly innovative responses," he said.
Marwa, who was represented at the briefing by the agency's Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, said the NDLEA had long recognised that old strategies cannot solve new problems.
"Under the continuous support of the Federal Government and our diverse stakeholders, we have heavily modernised our operations and balanced our enforcement capabilities with aggressive social advocacy.
"Our War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative remains our primary vehicle for preventive action, and it has been refitted to address these new challenges by leveraging data, community intelligence, and innovative public enlightenment tools to protect our youth from falling victim to illicit substances," he added.
Marwa stressed that in strict alignment with this year’s profound theme, the NDLEA is keeping alive its tradition of a week-long commemoration.
He declared that the event which kicked off officially on Friday, June 19, 2026, with the press conference will later proceed to the National Mosque, Abuja where a special Juma’at Service will be held at 1:30 pm to seek divine guidance and commemorate this significant week.
Marwa added that the highly anticipated Walk Against Drug in collaboration with Baze University, Nile University, and the MTN Foundation (MTNF) will take place on Saturday, June 20 with take-off point scheduled for African University of Science and Technology, Galadimawa at 8 am.
On Sunday, June 21, the event will continue the spiritual intercession with a Thanksgiving Church Service at a designated worship centre "to commit the week's activities into the hands of the Almighty."
The final level of the national essay competition, themed: "Say No to Drug: Building a Healthy and Responsible Generation" is slated for Monday, June 22, by 10am at the NDLEA National Headquarters' Conference Room.
"This intellectual contest highlights our focus on youth engagement and creative prevention," the NDLEA boss said.
On Tuesday, June 23, the agency will observe NGO Day at the NDLEA Conference Room at 10am as the day is dedicated to civil society partners.
The Youth Out of School Programme, a targeted campaign on high-risk environments within the FCT Area Councils, specifically reaching out to youths in major markets and motor parks with innovative, relatable anti-drug messaging will hold on Wednesday, June 24.
Thursday, June 25 is dedicated strictly to strategic planning, final reviews, and briefings in preparation for the grand finale on Friday, June 26 at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
"This event will gather top government functionaries, diplomatic communities, and international stakeholders to formally unveil new policy frameworks for tackling the modern facets of the drug crisis," Marwa said.
While speaking on recent operational milestones by the agency, which he said directly mirror its readiness to confront persisting issues and new challenges, the NDLEA boss noted that, “Our flagship WADA programme, launched five years ago on World Drug Day 2021, has matured into a formidable "Whole-of-Society Approach."
WADA, he noted, has successfully bridged the gap between law enforcement and the citizenry, turning ordinary Nigerians into active stakeholders in the war against drug abuse.
“On the enforcement front, our "Offensive Action" against drug cartels, launched in January 2021, has maintained its relentless momentum. We have continued to dismantle complex syndicates, leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of major drug barons.
"Our legal department has achieved unprecedented conviction rates, fortified heavily by the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). We are not just arresting traffickers; we are liquidating their financial empires. Through the civil action in rem instrumentalities, assets reasonably suspected to be proceeds of drug crimes are aggressively targeted and forfeited to the Federal Government, effectively cutting off the lifeblood of these criminal networks," Marwa said.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering political will and support, as well as to State Governments across the federation.
Marwa also hailed the international partners, particularly the UNODC, the US-Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the UK Home Office International Operations (HOIO), Border Force, and the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom, the French Police and the German BKA, among others.
He further acknowledged the synergy enjoyed with the Nigerian Armed Forces, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, NAFDAC, NFIU, FRSC, and the NSCDC, among others.
The NDLEA's boss also thanked the media, maintaining that, "The strategic victories we record daily would mean very little without your consistency in educating the public”.
At the event, the UNODC Country Representative, Cheikh Ousmane Toure, represented by his deputy, Mr. Danielo Campisi, noted that the world drug problem was not static, but evolving.
“Nigeria stands at a critical point where it must address long-standing challenges while adapting to new realities. As we reflect on this theme today, let us remember: No single institution can address these challenges alone.
"Progress depends on partnership, shared responsibility, and sustained action; the problem persists, but it is not insurmountable; the challenges are evolving, but so are our solutions, and our response must be united, informed, and forward-looking," he stressed.
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