Buba Marwa, the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said that the agency seized drugs and money worth over N130 billion in 2021.
He made this known in Abuja at a press briefing to mark his one year in office. The chairman was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 17, 2021.
Marwa said the sum was recovered between January and December 2021 across all the states in Nigeria. 12,306 suspects were also arrested, according to NAN.
Read: Convicted drug dealer charged with laundering 2,933 Bitcoin while in jail
What the NDLEA chairman is saying
Mr Marwa said 1,400 offenders were convicted and the agency has 1,502 pending cases in court. He noted that the agency was committed to its mandate of ensuring a drug-free Nigeria.
He said that the agency would continue playing its role toward the achievement of a drug-free Nigeria.
“We can take solace in the fact that our achievements of 2021 surpassed the records of any given year in the last three decades.”
“In drug supply reduction, our interdiction efforts yielded unparalleled results, which as of December 31, 2021, we also seized over 3.4million kilograms of assorted drugs.”
“We destroyed 406 hectares of cannabis farms and contributed to the consolidated account through asset forfeiture with 7, 761 drug users counselled and rehabilitated in NDLEA facilities,” Mr Marwa said
Speaking on the notable seizures made, he said the seizure of 451,807 captagon tablets, weighing 71.119kg in September 2021 at Apapa Seaport, Lagos was the first-ever recorded seizure of the drug in the West and Central African region.
Read: NAFDAC orders distributors to withdraw Lefin Pediatric Suspension drug with immediate effect
He said in February 2021, 230 tons of cannabis was seized in Edo state.
“In December 2021 alone, over 34,000kg of cannabis smuggled from Ghana, were intercepted at the Eko Atlantic City Beach, while more than 8.3 million capsules and tablets of Tramadol were seized in Lagos a week before Christmas.”
“Just last week, about 1.5 million capsules of same drug, loaded in Onitsha, Anambra, heading to Kebbi and Kano States were also intercepted by our men in Edo,” the NDLEA chair said.
Mr Marwa stated that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) remained the epicentre of the spectacular seizures, including what stands today as the biggest single seizure from an individual in 15 years.
What you should know
- Prior to his appointment as the NDLEA chairman, Mr Marwa was the chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA) between 2018 and December 2020.
- Established by Decree 48 of 1989, The NDLEA is a Federal agency in Nigeria charged with eliminating the growing, processing, manufacturing, selling, exporting, and trafficking of hard drugs.
