NDLEA and Ijeebu Police Raid Meth Lab in Lagos State

The agency’s war against illicit drugs is commendable

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) last week uncovered and shut down the largest methamphetamine laboratory ever discovered in Nigeria. The facility was hidden in Abidagba forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State. Jointly operated by a Nigerian drug cartel and Mexican collaborators, the operation seized illicit drugs and chemicals worth more than N480 billion. Ten cartel members were arrested, including three Mexican nationals and the alleged kingpin, Anochili Innocent, at his residence in Lekki, Lagos. “Let it be known that no matter how deep into the bush you hide, no matter how secure your gated estate is,” said Agency Chairman Buba Marwa. “The NDLEA will hunt you down, disrupt your networks, and seize your ill‑gotten wealth.”

President Bola Tinubu praised the bravery and dedication of NDLEA operatives, warning that drugs pose a critical security threat and a grave danger to the future of Nigerian youth, many of whom have become victims of the trade. “This landmark success is a strong message that our security agencies will not tolerate organised crime and criminality anywhere in the country,” said the President. The NDLEA deserves all the commendation. The war against illicit drug use and abuse in Nigeria is particularly difficult because it has, over the years, been compromised on many fronts. But the Marwa‑led NDLEA is making a big difference. Almost daily, kilograms of assorted illicit drugs are seized, arrests are regularly made, and convicted offenders are sentenced as a deterrent. Thousands of others are also being counseled and rehabilitated.

These remarkable gains are better appreciated against the backdrop of the institutional inadequacy that the NDLEA faces as the leading anti‑narcotic agency in a country with an exceptionally high prevalence of drug use. Hard drugs, ranging from cannabis—often called Indian Hemp—to cocaine, heroin and amphetamines, are increasingly available on the street and abused by both the young and the old in our country. Last week, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Zone 2 Command uncovered a major drug trafficking network in Lagos, recovering illicit substances valued at about N7.8 billion. At about the same time, the NDLEA Kano Strategic Command also dismantled a network of caves and underground tunnels used for illicit drug consumption and trafficking in the Rimin Kebe area of the state.

The World Drug Report recently identified cannabis as the most abused drug, corroborated by the National Drug Use Survey which revealed that over 11 million Nigerians abused it. The drug‑use prevalence for ages 15 to 64 in Nigeria is 14.4 percent, almost three times the global prevalence of 5.5 percent. It is no wonder that the NDLEA has recently established a radio station to counter the glamorisation of drugs.

Hard drugs cause serious problems for users and society at large. There is a correlation between drug abuse and organised crime. Many audacious crimes—including vicious robberies and murders, bank raids, and kidnappings—are said to be aided by drugs. Many experts agree that drug‑abuse issues have increased the challenges of insecurity in the country. But the NDLEA under Marwa is alive to its responsibility. In addition to addressing staff welfare, he has strengthened the capacity and capability of his officers with good operational tools, earning the trust and confidence of international partners. Just last week, a delegation of the United States Africa Command commended Marwa for his leadership and pledged enhanced collaboration to fight illicit drugs.

We urge the NDLEA not to relent in their war against drug cartels.