By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia
NIGERIA’s WAR on substance abuse must transcend government efforts and become a people-led national movement, President Bola Tinubu has declared during the 2025 World Drug Day commemoration held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Delivering his keynote address through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the president stated that defeating the scourge of illicit drug trafficking and addiction demands collective responsibility. Families, religious leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups, community leaders, businesses and individuals with lived experience were all identified as crucial allies.
The president urged Nigerians to address the root causes of substance abuse such as poverty, inequality, conflict, and social exclusion.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to global efforts to eradicate the drug menace and highlighted initiatives under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including student loans and empowerment schemes, as part of the national strategy to uplift vulnerable populations.
Acknowledging the impact of sustained enforcement and advocacy, he commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and its Chairman/Chief Executive, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), for globally recognised achievements in curbing both drug supply and demand.
Figures presented by Marwa at the event showed that between January 2021 and June 2025, the NDLEA arrested 66,085 drug offenders, including 94 identified kingpins.
During this period, 11.1 million kilograms of assorted illicit substances were seized, while 12,201 convictions were secured in court. Additionally, 26,393 individuals underwent rehabilitation across 30 treatment centres, with seven new centres set to be established in the current budget year.
Marwa warned of the continued vulnerability of Nigerian children and youth, stressing that drug experimentation cuts across all demographics.
He called on parents and educators to become more vigilant and actively involved in prevention efforts.
Through the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign, the agency has intensified outreach efforts, delivering 11,123 awareness programmes in schools, communities, markets and places of worship across all states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He credited national and international partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), United States (US) DEA, United Kingdom (UK) Border Force and other foreign governments, for their support.
Marwa also highlighted initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Three Million Technical Talent programme (3MTT), which he said are addressing critical drivers of drug abuse like unemployment and limited access to opportunities.
Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, reinforced the government’s resolve to tackle drug-related crimes through integrated policies across education, healthcare and justice systems.
He described drug abuse as a threat to national security and a major driver of organised crime.
Representing the Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo declared that the battle against drugs was not a matter of convenience but one of national survival.
He described every case of addiction as a call to action for leaders and citizens alike.
The United Nations’ Country Representative, Cheikh Ousmane Toure, added that prevention, treatment and recovery must be prioritised as life-saving investments in Nigeria’s future.
He called for collaborative solutions that break the link between drug abuse, crime, and marginalisation.
