Agency says it will continue targeting drug cartels’ financial networks
By Heapnews
Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Friday unveiled a weeklong programme of activities to mark the 2026 World Drug Day, while reaffirming their commitment to intensifying efforts against drug trafficking networks and emerging narcotics threats.
Speaking at a joint press briefing in Abuja, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), said the agency would sustain its crackdown on drug cartels by targeting both traffickers and the financial structures that support their operations.
“Through the civil action in rem instrumentalities, assets reasonably suspected to be proceeds of drug crimes are aggressively targeted and forfeited to the Federal Government, effectively cutting off the lifeblood of these criminal networks,” Marwa said in remarks delivered by NDLEA Secretary Shadrach Haruna.
World Drug Day is observed globally on June 26. This year’s theme, “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” reflects the growing complexity of the global drug landscape, including the rise of synthetic drugs, sophisticated trafficking networks and digital illicit markets.
Marwa said the NDLEA had adapted its strategies to address evolving threats through technology-driven enforcement and expanded public awareness campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
He said activities marking the week would begin with a special Juma’at service in Abuja on Friday, followed by a Walk Against Drugs on Saturday in collaboration with Baze University, Nile University and the MTN Foundation.
Other events include a national essay competition focused on drug prevention among youths, an NGO engagement forum, and outreach programmes targeting out-of-school youths in markets and motor parks across the Federal Capital Territory.
The week will culminate in a grand finale at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on June 26, where government officials, diplomats and international stakeholders are expected to unveil new policy frameworks aimed at addressing modern dimensions of the drug problem.
Highlighting the agency’s recent achievements, Marwa said the WADA programme, launched in 2021, had evolved into a nationwide platform encouraging citizen participation in drug prevention efforts.
He added that NDLEA’s enforcement operations had led to the dismantling of major drug syndicates, the arrest and prosecution of drug barons, and record conviction rates supported by the Proceeds of Crime Act.
In his remarks, UNODC Country Representative Cheikh Ousmane Toure, represented by Deputy Country Representative Danielo Campisi, said the global drug problem was changing rapidly and required coordinated responses from governments, civil society and international partners.
“Nigeria stands at a critical point where it must address long-standing challenges while adapting to new realities,” Campisi said.
He said no single institution could tackle the problem alone and stressed the need for partnership, innovation and sustained action.
UNODC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria through evidence-based interventions, international cooperation and human-centred approaches to drug control, he added.
The NDLEA also acknowledged support from President Bola Tinubu, state governments, international partners including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the UK National Crime Agency and other law enforcement agencies, as well as local security and regulatory institutions involved in the country’s anti-drug efforts.