NDLEA Seized 6.3m kg of Drugs, Arrested 31,675 Suspects in 29 Months – Marwa

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has disclosed that the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking has in 29 months led to the arrest of 31,675 drug offenders.

He revealed that 5, 147 of them have been prosecuted and convicted, while over 6.3 million kilograms of assorted drugs have been seized by his men.

Marwa stated this in Abuja on Monday at a joint press briefing with the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mr. Oliver Stolpe, to flag off weeklong activities marking the 2023 World Drug Day.

The World Drug Day is an annual event meant “to mobilise resources, align policies, and inspire organisations, communities, and nations to work in a particular direction to effectively tackle the challenges of illicit substances in society.

“In 29 months, we have arrested 31, 675 drug offenders, including 35 barons; successfully prosecuted and got convicted 5,147 of them, and over 11,000 other cases still pending in court, while 23,725 drug users had been counselled and rehabilitated, majority of them through brief interventions.

“At least 6.3 million kilograms of various illicit substances have been recovered in response to our efforts to sweep up drugs and shut down the distribution channels.

“We have destroyed 852.142 hectares of cannabis farms and dismantled three clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. I can assure you that even as we speak, NDLEA agents are busy with interdiction activities somewhere,” he said.