By RhemDy News
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has publicly destroyed 329,865.585 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs with an estimated street value of N301,058,076,000 in a court-ordered exercise carried out in Lagos.
The exercise, conducted pursuant to orders of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, disposed of uncontested concluded cases and abandoned seizures.
NDLEA's spokesman, Femi Babafemi disclosed in a statement on Monday, that of the total consignment, 246,864.535 kilograms were seized by the Lagos Strategic Command of the agency between April 2025 and May 2026.
Babafemi explained that 83,001.05 kilograms came from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Tincan and Apapa Strategic Commands, as well as the Marine Command and a Special Operations Unit, all operating within Lagos.
The destroyed illicit drugs comprised mainly cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis of different strains including Canadian Loud and skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup and other opioids, as well as khat leaf.
Speaking at the event held at Navy Town in Ojo area of Lagos on Monday August 17, 2026, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the exercise as a bold demonstration of Nigeria's resolve to protect its people and deny criminal enterprises the resources they need to thrive.
Marwa noted that behind every kilogram of narcotics destroyed lies a story of a young life at risk, a family torn apart by addiction, and communities endangered by drug-related crime and impaired driving.
He said the destroyed consignment represented more than the elimination of contraband, stressing that illicit drugs weaken the labour force, raise healthcare costs, discourage investment and drain public resources that should go into education, healthcare and infrastructure.
The NDLEA's boss added that every consignment intercepted by the anti-narcotics agency saves the country billions of naira in potential losses linked to addiction, crime and social dislocation.
He further linked the trade in illicit drugs to Nigeria's broader security challenges, noting that drug trafficking helps fund organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism globally, and that by seizing and destroying such substances, the agency was strengthening the country's national security architecture.
He commended the support of President Bola Tinubu, and his administration's strategic backing for the agency's mandate, as well as the partnership of the Judiciary, the Lagos State Government, the military, sister security agencies, international partners, civil society, traditional institutions, the media and members of the public.
Marwa also paid tribute to NDLEA personnel across the country, particularly those serving in Lagos while acknowledging the risks and sacrifices they make in the course of their duty.
Issuing a stern warning to drug barons, traffickers, financiers, distributors and dealers, the NDLEA Chairman declared that their days of operating with impunity are over.
"Wherever you hide, whoever sponsors you and however sophisticated your network may be, the long arm of the law will reach you," he said.
He vowed that the NDLEA remains resolute, relentless and uncompromising in pursuing and dismantling every criminal network and its financial spine.
General Marwa called on all Nigerians, parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders, and the media to become active stakeholders in the war against illicit drugs, stressing that the battle cannot be won by the anti-narcotics agency alone.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the scale of destroyed illicit drugs as a huge and sobering reminder of the enormity of the threat that they pose to the communities, the young people, and their nation's collective future.
"It is also, in equal measure, a powerful testament to what becomes possible when law enforcement, the judiciary, and the government work hand in hand, not merely to enforce the law, but to uphold justice, protect society, and secure a better future for our people. It reminds us that when institutions unite around a shared purpose, the law becomes more than an instrument of enforcement.”
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the governor assured that, “Lagos State is unwavering in its resolve to confront drug abuse and trafficking, and we will not relent in our efforts to do this.”
In his goodwill message, the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi noted that the “NDLEA deserves all the accolades they have received from local and international partners.”
“It is not just about the size of what we are seeing but about the scope of what has been taken from operations conducted in our seaports, at our airports, at our land borders. This therefore represents a very strong message to drug dealers that they are no longer welcome in Nigeria.”
Bashir noted the Nexus between drug dealers and violent non-state actors, stressing that drug continues to provide the oxygen for their crime.
The Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented by the FOC Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, assured of continued support for Nigeria’s drug control efforts by the NDLEA.
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