Building National Strategy Against Illicit Drugs

Nigeria is stepping up its fight against illicit drugs, with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency leading a coordinated national strategy focused on enforcement, prevention, rehabilitation, and community engagement to protect youth and society, writes Oluchi Chibuzor

Nigeria is taking a decisive stand against the scourge of illicit drugs, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is leading the charge. Through bold initiatives, strategic interventions, and public awareness campaigns, the agency has demonstrated a commitment to protecting the nation’s youth, strengthening communities, and safeguarding the country’s future. Its efforts are not just reactive but visionary, laying the foundation for a coordinated national strategy that promises measurable impact.

Over the years, the NDLEA has combined enforcement with prevention, recognising that tackling drug abuse requires more than arrests. It demands education, rehabilitation, and alternative development programs. By engaging local communities, partnering with international bodies, and championing innovative policies, the agency has created a multi-pronged approach that addresses the roots of the problem while responding decisively to its immediate threats.

The drive to build a national strategy against illicit drugs underscores a broader commitment to national security, public health, and societal wellbeing.

That was why the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), recently called for a strong national response and sustained support for the alternative development programme recently initiated to curb illicit cannabis cultivation, uplift rural communities and strengthen national security.

Marwa, harped on the need to support for the first in Africa, the drug control initiative, which pilot scheme had been launched in three cannabis growing communities in Ondo State.

Alternative Development Strategy

While explaining the alternative development strategy of drug control, the NDLEA boss said the concept goes far beyond crop substitution, stressing that “its wider benefits include: strengthening rural economies through value-chain development; reducing the burden on law enforcement and the justice system; promoting peace and social cohesion in previously crime-prone areas; supporting national food production and agricultural diversification; improving Nigeria’s international standing in global drug control and development cooperation.”

According to him, “this approach represents a win-win solution—for communities, for government, and for national security. The successful take off of the pilot scheme in Ilu Abo, Ifon, and Eleyewo in Ondo state last week clearly demonstrates that alternative development works when communities are engaged, supported, and empowered.

“We therefore call for a strong national response and sustained support from all stakeholders across all layers of government, traditional rulers and community leaders, development partners and donor agencies, the private sector and agricultural value-chain actors as well as civil society organisations and the media.”

He also urged communities across the country, particularly those affected by illicit drug cultivation, to embrace the model and work with the NDLEA in building lawful, productive, and secure livelihoods. “Let me reiterate that the alternative development programme is not just a drug control initiative; it is a people-centred development intervention designed to uplift communities, strengthen national security, and secure Nigeria’s future.”

He assured that the Agency “remains fully committed to expanding this programme nationwide, in partnership with all stakeholders, as we collectively build a safer, healthier, and more prosperous Nigeria in alignment with the renewed hope agenda of the President Tinubu administration.”

Speaking on the successful flag-off of the scheme in Ondo state, Marwa said “one of the most encouraging outcomes of this pilot project has been the overwhelming acceptance and support expressed by the host communities and their traditional and community leaders. They have openly stated that this programme has renewed their hope in Nigeria and restored their confidence in government.

“They recognise that Alternative Development offers a dignified and lawful source of income for farmers; reduction in poverty and vulnerability, especially among rural households; improved food security through the introduction of viable alternative crops; enhanced community stability and safety, as illicit drug cultivation often fuels criminal networks and insecurity.”

He noted that replacing cannabis cultivation with sustainable agricultural and economic opportunities, the programme directly tackles the root causes of drug production rather than merely treating the symptoms.

The NDLEA boss said the dire reality of illicit cannabis cultivation and use in Nigeria made the Agency to look beyond law enforcement and consider a United Nations-endorsed alternative to solving the cannabis conundrum.

Alternative Development Mission in Ondo

During the event proper in Ondo, at the Government House in Akure, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had accorded Marwa and his delegation a warm, almost regal reception, setting the tone for a visit that would combine high-level policy discussions with direct community engagement.

The second day was set for a new approach to an old problem as the visit commenced with a warm courtesy visit to the governor’s office and the palace of the Deji of Akure. There after he ensured he met with CAN Chairman Ondo state and the leadership.

Addressing stakeholders, Governor Aiyedatiwa called for comprehensive and people-centred strategies to tackle drug abuse, urging young people to reject illicit substances and embrace alternative livelihoods.

He had described the NDLEA initiative as timely and visionary, noting that drug abuse remains a serious threat to public health, social stability and economic productivity, often fuelling crime and youth restrictiveness

According to the Governor, tackling the root causes poverty, unemployment and lack of opportunity is far more effective than relying solely on enforcement.

“When people are productively engaged, the urge to indulge in drug abuse and other illicit activities is significantly reduced,” Aiyedatiwa said, highlighting his administration’s investments in skills acquisition, agriculture, vocational training and youth-focused grants. He assured the NDLEA of the state government’s full support, pledging collaboration with traditional rulers, religious institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector to strengthen prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, represented by the ministry’s South-West Regional Director, Mrs. Temitayo Alao, commended the initiative, describing it as a direct response to hunger, poverty and unemployment among vulnerable populations. He noted that the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by promoting food security and job creation.

International partners also lent their voices. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, through its Deputy Director-General for Partnerships, Dr. Tahirou Abdoulaye (represented by Dr. Noel Mulinganya), described the pilot project as timely and impactful, capable of addressing the vulnerabilities that push communities into illicit economies.

The evidence-based comprehensive data on drug use in Nigeria exposes a bleak and deeply troubling reality.

According to the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), an estimated 14.4 per cent of Nigerians aged 15–64 years — or roughly 14.3 million people — reported using at least one psychoactive substance in the past year, a figure that is more than twice the global prevalence of drug use. Cannabis stands starkly at the centre of this crisis, dominating both patterns of consumption and the illicit cultivation landscape.”

He further disclosed that, “cannabis is not a marginal issue in Nigeria – it is the most frequently used and widely available illicit drug in the country. An estimated 10.6 million adults – more than one in every ten Nigerians in the prime of life – reported using cannabis in the past year, far outstripping the use of other drugs. The severity of the problem extends beyond consumption into widespread cultivation and organised production.

“Field assessments focusing on high-risk areas in the South West reveal that nearly 8,900 hectares of land are under cannabis cultivation, often hidden deep within forests and remote regions. These illicit farms are clustered and interconnected, hinting at organized networks that not only supply domestic demand but also facilitate trafficking beyond Nigeria’s borders.”

Painting a grim picture of the challenge, Marwa said, “the social and public health implications are stark. With youth and adults alike turning to habitual cannabis use often initiated in late adolescence the nation faces the threat of long-term health consequences, increased dependency, and cascading social harms, including lost productivity, crime, and the burden on overstretched healthcare systems. More revealing is the fact that out of a total of 15 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs seized by NDLEA in the past five years, over 75 percent of them are cannabis. Just imagine the harm that quantity would have done to our youths, public health and national security.”

He however expressed confidence that the alternative development initiative would reverse the trend if given strong national response and sustained support because it’s fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

He commended national stakeholders and international partners that have shown support for the initiative. “This pilot project was flagged off with the invaluable support of several global institutions and partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD), Berlin, Germany; Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage (MFLF), Bangkok, Thailand; as well as support from friendly countries and development partners committed to sustainable livelihoods and community resilience, including friends and partners who participated virtually from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Germany, Thailand, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Myanmar, Bhutan, Laos, Afghanistan, Iran, and Guatemala. Also significant was the presence and support of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Ayedatiwa and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyariwho was ably represented by the Regional Director Southwest, Mrs. Alao Temitayo.”

Looking Ahead

With the NDLEA at the forefront, Nigeria is not only confronting a persistent challenge but also charting a course toward a safer, healthier, and more resilient society. The agency’s work stands as a model of strategic leadership, demonstrating that with vision, coordination, and public support, even deeply entrenched problems can be tackled effectively. Looking ahead, the agency’s vision provides a blueprint for a safer and healthier Nigeria. With continued support from government, communities, and international partners, the NDLEA is positioned to transform the fight against drugs into a nationwide movement—one that empowers citizens, strengthens families, and ensures that the next generation inherits a society free from the devastating impact of illicit substances.

Photo caption: Marwa (left) with Oba Olu Falae in his palace before the flag off of the event in Ondo…recently