The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has intercepted more than two billion pills of tramadol in the last 18 months as it intensified efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating through Nigeria and across international borders.
Chairman of the agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this on Thursday during a familiarisation tour of the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos.
Marwa attributed the massive seizures to coordinated intelligence-driven operations carried out in collaboration with international partners, particularly authorities in India and Pakistan.
“Within the last 18 months, we have seized more than two billion pills of tramadol through coordinated operations and intelligence sharing with our international partners, especially in India and Pakistan,” he said.
The NDLEA boss warned drug traffickers against using Nigeria’s ports as transit routes for illicit substances, stressing that the agency had significantly strengthened its surveillance and intelligence capabilities to detect and intercept illegal consignments.
He said the agency was working closely with the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and other security agencies under existing memoranda of understanding to facilitate intelligence sharing and seamless transfer of cases.
Marwa called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, port operators and other stakeholders to prevent criminal elements from exploiting the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Lekki Deep Sea Port for illicit activities.
Describing both facilities as strategic national assets, he said protecting them from organised criminal networks was a collective responsibility.
“The fight against drug abuse and trafficking cannot be left to the NDLEA alone. Nigeria is facing a very serious drug challenge. We are all parents, and we see what drug abuse is doing to our youths,” he said.
“It cannot be the responsibility of the NDLEA alone. It requires total societal collaboration.”
Marwa reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to disrupting the cultivation, production, importation, trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs across the country.
He cited the recent discovery of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Ogun State, revealing that the facility could have produced illicit drugs valued at about $360 million if it had remained undetected.
According to him, the Federal High Court recently visited the forest where the illegal laboratory was uncovered as part of the ongoing trial of the suspects.
He insisted that those behind the operation, including foreign nationals, should face the full weight of the law.
Marwa also urged parents to pay close attention to signs of substance abuse among their children and relatives, advising them to seek professional help at the earliest stage.
“If there is any suspicion that a family member is using drugs, it is important to conduct a drug test and seek help immediately. Early intervention is better than waiting until addiction leads to psychiatric problems or even death,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the proposed amendment to the NDLEA Act would introduce stiffer penalties for drug traffickers and further strengthen Nigeria’s anti-narcotics campaign.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Lekki Free Zone, Mrs Adesuwa Ladoja, pledged continued collaboration with the NDLEA to keep the zone free of illicit drugs and other criminal activities.
Similarly, the Managing Director of Lekki Port, Mr Wang Qiang, reaffirmed the port’s commitment to supporting the NDLEA and other security agencies, noting that China maintained a zero-tolerance policy against illicit drugs.
Also speaking, the Area Commander of the NDLEA, Lekki Deep Sea Port Command, Jonah Achema, described the command as one of the enduring legacies of Marwa’s leadership since its establishment in 2022.
