The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 329,865.585 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs valued at an estimated N301.058 billion in a court-ordered exercise in Lagos.
The exercise, conducted on Monday, August 17, 2026, at Navy Town, Ojo, followed orders from the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, and involved drugs linked to concluded uncontested cases and abandoned seizures.
Of the total quantity, 246,864.535kg was seized by the Lagos Strategic Command between April 2025 and May 2026, while 83,001.05kg was recovered by the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, TinCan and Apapa Strategic Commands, Marine Command and Special Operations Unit.
The destroyed substances included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, various strains of cannabis, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat leaves.
Speaking at the event, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), described the exercise as a major demonstration of Nigeria’s determination to combat drug trafficking and protect communities from its consequences.
Marwa warned drug barons, traffickers, financiers and dealers that the agency would continue to pursue and dismantle their networks, stressing that they could no longer operate with impunity.
He also called on parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders, the media and other stakeholders to support the fight against illicit drugs, noting that the NDLEA could not win the battle alone.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, described the destruction of about 300 tonnes of narcotics and psychotropic substances as a sobering reminder of the scale of the drug threat.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, commended the NDLEA and said the seizure sent a strong warning to drug dealers that they were no longer welcome in Nigeria. He also noted the link between illicit drug trafficking and violent crimes, including banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, insurgency and terrorism.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, also reaffirmed the Navy’s continued support for Nigeria’s drug control efforts led by the NDLEA.
