No Hiding Place for Barons! NDLEA Smashes Records with 77792 Arrests and 14 Million Kilos of Drugs Seized in Five-Year Crackdown

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared that the era of Nigeria being a “safe haven” for drug cartels is officially over. This follows the release of a massive five-year performance report by the agency’s Chairman, Buba Marwa, which reveals unprecedented success in the fight against narcotics between 2021 and 2026.

According to the latest data released in Abuja, the agency has arrested 77792 individuals involved in drug trafficking and abuse over the last sixty months. Among those caught are 128 identified drug barons who had previously operated with impunity, running multi-billion Naira networks across borders.

Beyond just making arrests, the agency has been highly effective in the courtroom. Marwa confirmed that 14225 offenders have been tried and convicted, serving various jail terms. This high conviction rate is being seen as a major win for the Nigerian justice system and a strong warning to anyone considering entering the illegal trade.

The sheer volume of drugs taken off the streets is equally shocking. The agency intercepted a total of 14847000 kilograms of illicit substances. Removing such a large quantity of drugs has effectively choked the supply lines that often fuel local crime and insecurity.

“When I took over in 2021, I promised to take the fight to the doorsteps of these merchants of death,” Marwa stated during an awards ceremony. He attributed the success to a more disciplined workforce and the use of better intelligence.

With President Bola Tinubu recently extending Marwa’s leadership for another term, the NDLEA boss warned that the next phase of the operation will be even more “ruthless.” He noted that the agency will now focus on using advanced tactical methods to track down the remaining fugitives and ensure every gram of illegal drugs is removed from Nigerian communities.