NDLEA Destroys N301bn Worth Of Cocaine, Heroin, Opioids, Others In Lagos

By Adebola Muili

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 329,865.585 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs valued at N301.058 billion in Lagos.

The court-ordered destruction exercise was conducted on Monday, August 17, 2026, at Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos, following orders of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, and involved narcotics recovered from concluded cases and abandoned seizures.

According to the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), 246,864.535kg of the destroyed substances were seized by the agency’s Lagos Strategic Command between April 2025 and May 2026, while 83,001.05kg came from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Tin Can and Apapa Strategic Commands, Marine Command and a Special Operations Unit operating in Lagos.

The substances destroyed included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, various strains of cannabis, including Canadian Loud and skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat leaves.

Speaking at the exercise, Marwa described the destruction as a bold demonstration of Nigeria’s resolve to protect its citizens and deprive criminal enterprises of the resources needed to sustain their operations.

He said the significance of the exercise went beyond the destruction of contraband, noting that illicit drugs weaken the labour force, increase healthcare costs, discourage investment and divert public resources that should be deployed to education, healthcare and infrastructure.

Marwa also linked illicit drug trafficking to broader security challenges, noting that proceeds from the trade could fund organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism.

Issuing a stern warning to drug barons, traffickers, financiers, distributors and dealers, the NDLEA boss declared that their days of operating with impunity were 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.

Marwa commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support for the agency, as well as the judiciary, Lagos State Government, military, sister security agencies, international partners, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, the media and members of the public for their cooperation in the fight against illicit drugs.

Also speaking, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the scale of the drugs destroyed as a “huge and sobering reminder” of the threat illicit substances pose to communities, young people and the country’s collective future.

The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said Lagos remained unwavering in its resolve to confront drug abuse and trafficking.

Sanwo-Olu said the exercise demonstrated what could be achieved when law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and government institutions worked together to protect society and uphold justice.

In his goodwill message, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, commended the NDLEA, saying the seizures reflected operations conducted at the nation’s seaports, airports and land borders.

Adeniyi said the destruction sent a strong message to drug traffickers that they were no longer welcome in Nigeria.

He also identified a nexus between illicit drug trafficking and violent crimes, saying proceeds from the drug trade could provide funding for banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, insurgency and terrorism.

The Customs CG said the destruction would not only represent billions of naira in losses to drug traffickers but would also deny violent non-state actors the resources required to finance their activities.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, assured the NDLEA of the Nigerian Navy’s continued support for the country’s drug control efforts.

The NDLEA called on parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders and the media to play active roles in the fight against illicit drug abuse and trafficking, stressing that the responsibility could not be shouldered by the agency alone.