…Three Million Nigerians Suffer Drug Disorder, Says UNODC
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has expressed optimism that the recent amendment of the NDLEA Act by the National Assembly will significantly enhance Nigeria’s drug control capacity once President Bola Tinubu signs it into law.
During the opening ceremony of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Marwa disclosed that the agency recorded 6,839 drug-related convictions in two years.
He described amendment of the Act as a crucial step in strengthening the agency’s institutional capacity to reduce drug supply in the country.
“Encouragingly, certain developments promise to bolster the achievement of our objectives. One such step is the amendment of the NDLEA Act, which is expected to significantly strengthen the Agency’s institutional capacity in drug supply reduction.
“I am pleased to inform this esteemed assembly that the Amended Act has been passed by the National Assembly and is currently awaiting Presidential assent,” he said.
Despite funding constraints that have hampered the full implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP 2021–2025), Marwa emphasized that the agency remains focused on its mandate. He urged stakeholders to renew their commitment to the national drug control effort.
“I urge us all to renew our energy and resolve to deliver the impact and value needed to confront Nigeria’s evolving and multifaceted drug challenges. Let us bring our voices, passion, and optimism to bear in our deliberations.
“May we remain open and forthright in pursuit of our shared goal: the enhancement of health and security for all residents of Nigeria, in line with the aspirations of the NDCMP 2021–2025,” he added.
Evaluating the agency’s activities across the strategic pillars of the NDCMP between 2023 and 2024, Marwa revealed significant milestones under both the supply and demand reduction strategies.
“Under the Supply Reduction pillar, our operational efforts and strategic offensives led to the arrest of 31,334 drug offenders, of whom 6,839 were convicted.
“We also recorded the seizure of 4,333,636.9 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and undertook the destruction of 426.46724 hectares of cannabis farms.
“Under the Drug Demand Reduction strategic pillar, we provided counselling and rehabilitation services to 19,033 individuals.
“By accelerating our WADA sensitisation activities across states, local government areas, wards, and communities, we have been able to intentionally disseminate awareness of the dangers of drug abuse to diverse population groups,” he stated.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, in his keynote address, said the amended Act has potential to reshape the national drug control landscape.
“In the past four years, we have witnessed unprecedented efforts by the NDLEA. These achievements include arrests and seizures, convictions, elaborate evidence-based drug demand reduction interventions, and using the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy platform to sensitize communities on the dangers of drug abuse.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice has worked together with the NDLEA to ensure that our national legal system effectively supports the drug control efforts of the agency. We are at the last lap of finalizing the amendment of the NDLEA Act, which will significantly enhance the organizational capability of the agency to control the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria,” Fagbemi said.
The AGF, represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, underscored the importance of a coordinated approach among government bodies and stakeholders.
“The work of this Inter-Ministerial Committee has been crucial in coordinating a whole-of-government approach to this top burner issue. By bringing together critical stakeholders, we have been able to develop and implement more comprehensive and balanced strategies, applying the collaborative spirit which the NDCMP promotes.”
He also praised state governments and civil society organizations for grassroots efforts and urged for broader prevention initiatives targeting vulnerable groups.
“Let us leave this meeting with a renewed commitment to protecting our youth, securing our communities, and building a healthier, safer Nigeria for generations to come. The commitment made by NDLEA, the IMC and other stakeholders, holds the promise for a drug-free Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Country Representative Cheikh Ousmane Toure, through Dr. Akani Ibanga, emphasized the intersection between public health and security in Nigeria’s drug response efforts.
“The urgency of the mission that we have today cannot be overstated. Drug use, as we know, is associated with various things from health to safety to productivity to cohesion and, in fact, to how we respond at the level of our community.
“And I think that where we have a country where at least three million people are said to be suffering from drug use disorder when we did this calculation and you have 39.5 million in the world, that means we’re contributing 7.5 per cent to that data as a country.
“That’s worrisome, and it calls for us to continue in this last leg of implementing the NDCMP to ensure that we can follow through with all the commitments that the drug control master plan has laid out for us to do, that we may address these issues that we face.”
Leave a Comment