By Oluwakemi Kindness
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dismantling a major Nigerian-Mexican drug syndicate and uncovering an illicit drug production network valued at over $360 million.
The President described the operation as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s ongoing war against narcotics trafficking and organised crime.
The crackdown, which followed weeks of intelligence gathering and coordinated operations with international partners, led to the arrest of several foreign nationals, local drug kingpins and their collaborators. Operatives also recovered large quantities of illicit drugs and chemical substances linked to the syndicate.
Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd), announced the development on Wednesday, describing it as one of the agency’s biggest successes in recent times.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu commended NDLEA operatives for their professionalism, bravery and commitment to protecting the country from the dangers of drug trafficking.
The President warned that West Africa is increasingly becoming a transit hub for cocaine, synthetic narcotics and unregulated pharmaceutical products destined for Europe and North America, stressing that the growing trend poses serious security and public health threats, particularly to young people.
He urged Nigerians to support security agencies by reporting suspicious drug-related activities within their communities, noting that the fight against narcotics requires collective vigilance and national cooperation.
President Tinubu further declared that the latest operation sends a strong signal that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for drug cartels and organised criminal networks, assuring that those involved will face the full weight of the law.
