NDLEA Showcases Nigeria’s Drug Control Reforms at UN General Assembly

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

Agency calls for stronger intelligence-sharing, action against illicit finance.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has presented Nigeria’s drug control reforms as a model of institutional transformation, highlighting its enforcement record and integrated approach to tackling drug trafficking and substance abuse at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.

The agency also called for stronger international intelligence-sharing, intensified action against illicit financial networks and increased investment in law enforcement and public health institutions, particularly in developing countries.

The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), made the submissions in Nigeria’s statement delivered on Monday, October 12, at the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly.Marwa, who was represented by the agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, said Nigeria had transformed the NDLEA from a predominantly enforcement-focused organisation into an integrated, intelligence-led and people-centred institution.

He said the agency now combines law enforcement, public health interventions, technology, financial investigations, alternative livelihoods and international cooperation to address the growing complexities of the illicit drug trade.

According to him, the transformation was necessitated by the increasing sophistication of trafficking networks, the use of technology for illicit activities and the movement of criminal proceeds across international borders.“Nigeria therefore broadened its focus from drugs and offenders alone to the criminal networks, illicit profits and vulnerabilities that sustain the drug economy,” he said.

Marwa disclosed that between January 2025 and September 2026, the NDLEA arrested 38,242 suspects, seized more than 5.8 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs valued at over ₦2.5 trillion and secured 6,232 convictions. He added that more than 16,303 people received counselling, treatment or rehabilitation during the period, while drug prevention and sensitisation campaigns reached millions of Nigerians.

The NDLEA chief executive said the agency was increasingly prioritising the dismantling of major trafficking networks, organised criminal structures and the financial systems sustaining the illicit drug trade, rather than relying solely on arrests and seizures to measure performance.

He also highlighted the agency’s Alternative Development initiative, being piloted in three communities in Ondo State, where residents are being supported to move away from illicit cannabis cultivation towards legitimate agricultural activities.

According to him, sustainable drug control requires economic alternatives that enable affected communities to earn lawful incomes while strengthening food security, community resilience and national security.

Marwa further cited the NDLEA’s Drug Integrity Test and Visa E-Administration System as examples of how digital technology could improve efficiency, accessibility, transparency and accountability in public administration.

He said the reforms were being consolidated under the National Drug Control Master Plan 2026–2030, which provides a framework for coordinating Nigeria’s response across six pillars.The pillars include drug supply reduction, drug demand reduction, access to controlled medicines, governance and coordination, alternative development, and disruption of the illicit drug economy.Addressing the international community, Nigeria called for timely intelligence-sharing among countries to prevent criminal networks from exploiting gaps between national jurisdictions.

It also urged governments to intensify financial investigations, asset tracing and recovery to disrupt the illicit financial economy that supports drug trafficking.

The country further advocated stronger investment in drug prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration, alongside effective law enforcement.Nigeria also called for expanded international support for alternative development programmes and capacity-building for law enforcement personnel to match the growing sophistication of drug cartels.

It stressed the need for sustained investment in technology, forensic capabilities, training, treatment infrastructure and technical assistance, particularly to strengthen institutions in developing countries.

The statement was delivered under the theme of the 81st UN General Assembly session, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”Nigeria described its drug control reforms as an ongoing process rather than a finished model, expressing readiness to share experiences, learn from other countries and work with UN agencies and international partners.

It urged member states to translate their commitments into practical implementation, stronger cooperation and measurable results in the global fight against illicit drugs.