REVEALED: What NDLEA Does With Recovered Drugs, Cash

Mid-March Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa dropped a bombshell on Nigerians. According to the NDLEA Boss, over 5 percent of Nigerians are linked to the illicit drug trade. It is enough reason for him to be worried and more for him to be proactive by leading clampdown operations.

Every well-meaning Nigerian knows that ending illicit drug dealing in Nigeria is not only Barwa’s headache considering the high rate of narcotics-fuelled criminal activities perpetrated in the country.

In less than two weeks of assuming office, Marwa made progressive moves; as the chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), he ordered a mop-up operation of illicit drugs across the country.
By May, he openly made claims that suggested that the operation was quite successful. According to him, between January and May 2021, NDLEA had seized over two million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and thrown over 2000 drug dealers behind the bar.

NDLEA Spokesperson Sheds Light On Drug/Cash Management

In an exclusive release to AllNews Nigeria, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy shed more light on how seized drugs and cash are being managed.

“Drugs and cash seized are deposited in the exhibit room. Other monies are frozen in bank accounts. At the appropriate time and under the right circumstances, the seized illicit substances will be properly disposed of publicly following judicial orders.”

“Monies (and other seized assets), following the final forfeiture order from the court, go into the consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, as stipulated by Section 38 (2) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30,” he said.

Arguably Barwa’s administration has been firm in the discharge of its duties. The masses hopes he will go far in wiping out the growing menace of widespread distribution of hard drugs in various parts of the country, most especially among the student populace.

As a retired Nigerian army officer and former military governor of Borno and Lagos State, observers adjudge that Marwa as the repository of knowledge and experience to lead the agency in a revolution move against illegal drug dealing. Barwa is expected to use his rich military experience to lead an all-out attack against drug barons and other perpetrators.

Femi Babafemi noted that “How big the problem of drug trafficking is in this country in recent years has been more of a hypothesis until Gen. Marwa took over the leadership of the NDLEA in January.”

“Now, we are beginning to get the true picture of the scope and nature of drug trafficking in this country. This I can tell you: there has been a sharp increase in the arrest of traffickers and the interception and seizure of illicit substances.”

“Presently, there is a disruption in the inflow and outflow of illicit drugs in Nigeria and across the country. For example, the MMIA Command of the NDLEA only recovered 34.109kg of cocaine and 21.72 kg of heroin in 2019. This year, between January and April, the command seized 63. 217kg and 950kg of cocaine and heroin respectively.”

The spokesman also revealed that the current leadership of the agency is focusing on closing the drug pipeline “and put the cartels out of business.

That is the only way to stop trafficking. And in this regard, we have started getting substantial results.”

“So far, we have arrested five barons and we are working to dismantle their network. In the meantime, the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) is a balanced mix of enforcement, advocacy, treatment, and rehabilitation.”

“Presently, we are working on a massive advocacy campaign that will gain momentum in the coming months. We are going to open up the discussion on the use and abuse of illicit drugs. We'll focus on families, communities, the grassroots, and ensure that everyone understands that illicit drug is dangerous.”

He added that “At the same time, we are also ramping up our efforts in the direction of treatment and rehabilitation. This way, we will be shutting down drug demand. Where there is no demand, there will be no supply, and trafficking in controlled substances will be curtailed”. 

Babafemi narrated how NDLEA intercepted smugglers with drugs worth billions of naira in street value, including a high-profile bust that led to “the biggest seizure of cocaine from an individual in the past 15 years”.

Speaking on the seizures, Babafemi said, “Cannabis accounts for almost 2million kg; cocaine, 179.172kg; heroin, 51.147kg; methamphetamine, 35.870kg; tramadol, 851.161kg; Rohypnol, 14.262kg; codeine cough syrup, 8,824.277kg; diazepam, 856.05kg and others 4,458.686kg.”