The War Against Drug Abuse in Nigeria, spearheaded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, is a full-on assault on a problem that’s been eating away at the country’s social fabric. Launched on June 26, 2021, under the Buhari administration, it is not just about busting drug dealers though there is plenty of that it is a broader push to choke both the supply and demand for illicit drugs through enforcement, education, and community action.
Nigeria’s drug issue is grim. Cannabis, codeine, tramadol, and methamphetamine (locally called ice or mkpuru mmiri) are rampant, especially among youth.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Cannabis topped the list, followed by opioids and cough syrups laced with codeine. This is not just a health crisis, it’s a fuel for crime, cultism, and insurgency, with groups like Boko Haram reportedly bankrolling operations through drug trafficking.
WADA’s strategy splits into two lanes. On the supply side, the NDLEA’s Offensive Action, kicked off in January 2021, has been relentless. Under Brigadier General Buba Marwa’s leadership, the agency racked up big wins: over 57,792 arrests, 10,572 convictions, and over 10 million kilograms of drugs seized since he took over.
The demand side is where WADA’s heart lies: prevention through awareness. They’ve rolled out sensitisation campaigns hitting schools, mosques, churches, markets, workplaces nationwide, and lectures at places like Maku Grammar School in Oyo State or Jama’atu Islamiyya in Kogi State.
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How do they do it? Grassroots hustle and smart partnerships. NDLEA’s 36 state commands teamed up with local leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups, even Association of Local Governments Of Nigeria (ALGON) to host talks and rallies. The “Save Our Families” campaign in 2024 handed out drug-test kits to parents, this is to prevent the drug abuse menace from homes.
The results are showing. By mid-2024, over 13,000 people got counseling or rehab, a leap from just 599 in 2020 with 8,129 helped last year alone, according to LEADERSHIP on February 25. That is people choosing change because they’ve heard the message. In Imo State, after a 2024 talk at Owerri-Aba Primary, teachers started watching for trouble signs. In Kaduna State, a February 24 event led residents to promise drug-free neighborhoods, and calls to NDLEA’s helpline jumped hundreds a month by early 2025.
In Kano, with 1.07 million users as Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa noted at the launch of a sensitization campaign against drug abuse, domestic violence, and illicit drug trade, organized by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Kaduna, Marwa talks about Almajiri kids, he aim to cut the number of young people dealers can target, which could lower crime like gang fights and theft.
Just this year, WADA’s sensitisation efforts are hitting schools and communities hard, lectures at Federal Cooperative College in Ibadan on February 20, warning students off drugs, or the ongoing push in the FCT with new area commands in Kwali and Kuje to spread the message deeper. They are not slowing down from 2024’s pace where they reached over 1.8 million people alone.
But It is not all solved. Drugs still flow, and poverty keeps some hooked. But with over 10 million kilos seized including 25 tons destroyed in Kogi this week, NDLEA pairs that with outreach to make a difference. WADA’s success is not just in the drugs they stop; it’s in the minds they reach. This fight shows Nigeria can push back, step by step, with a plan that is working.
Looking ahead, the NDLEA could sharpen its edge by embracing today’s technology. Currently, NDLEA relies heavily on human intelligence and physical operations. Their officers, including the elite Strike Force formed in 2021, conduct raids, patrols, and manual searches at airports, seaports, borders, and highways. But these efforts, while effective, are basic compared to what is available in 2025.
Traffickers are adapting, hiding drugs in compressors, duvets, even soap bars, as seen in recent busts. Drones, for instance, are not widely mentioned in their operations, yet could scour remote cannabis farms or border stash points. Digital tracking, AI or data analytics to map online drug deals or shipping patterns seems underutilized.
. Abdulrazaq is a Corps member at the Center for Crisis Communication and can be reached at as.sayyid21@gmail.com.
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