By Oluwakemi Kindness
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed illicit drugs valued at an estimated N301 billion in Lagos, in a major crackdown on drug trafficking and related criminal networks.
The court-ordered destruction involved 329,865.585 kilogrammes of assorted narcotics seized in Lagos between April 2025 and May 2026. The substances included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat leaf.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), said the exercise demonstrates Nigeria’s resolve to deny criminal networks the resources required to operate. He warned drug barons, traffickers, financiers and dealers that the agency would continue to pursue both their operations and financial networks.
Marwa, in a statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, said illicit drug trafficking fuels organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism by providing financial resources for criminal activities.
He called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, the judiciary, government institutions, communities and the public to tackle drug abuse and trafficking.
The Lagos State Government pledged continued support for the campaign, while the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, commended the NDLEA’s efforts, saying the destruction sends a clear warning to drug dealers that Nigeria will not provide a safe haven for their activities.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, also reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s support for the NDLEA’s drug-control operations.
The NDLEA said the destroyed substances were linked to concluded court cases and abandoned seizures, following orders from the Federal High Court in Lagos.
