Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Akure, Nigeria — Retired Major-General Buba Marwa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has drawn attention to an emerging security concern in Nigeria’s rural agricultural zones, asserting that terrorist and kidnapping groups have taken up residence in cannabis-growing communities deep within forested areas. The observation was made during a courtesy visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State in Akure, ahead of the launch of an Alternative Development Project aimed at reducing illicit drug cultivation and engaging farmers in legal economic activities. The statement was confirmed by multiple national news outlets reporting on the event on Monday.
Marwa’s remarks highlighted a developing pattern in which criminals, including members of Boko Haram, other terrorists, and kidnappers, are reportedly exploiting cannabis-producing zones as informal bases of operation. According to Marwa, intelligence sources have identified these groups living among communities that cultivate cannabis sativa, taking advantage of both the remoteness of the terrain and the ready availability of illicit substances in those areas. “It makes sense to them,” he said, explaining that these groups view proximity to drug production as strategically useful for their operations.
The NDLEA chief’s comments underscore the complex intersections between organised crime, drug cultivation, and national security challenges in Nigeria. Cannabis remains the most commonly seized illicit drug in the country, accounting for a significant majority of substances confiscated by law enforcement agencies over recent years. Marwa cited figures indicating that cannabis comprises over 75 per cent of seized drugs, and he stressed that drug use prevalence in Nigeria is “unacceptably high,” with an estimated 15 million Nigerians aged 15 to 64 reportedly using drugs — a figure drawn from the United Nations’ last major survey on drug use.
In Ondo State specifically, data presented by the NDLEA boss shows that drug use prevalence stands at roughly 17 per cent, representing approximately 400,000 people in the state alone. In 2025, the NDLEA’s Ondo command made 336 arrests related to illicit substances, seized over 22,000 kilograms of drugs, and secured 62 convictions, in addition to destroying more than 207,000 kilograms of cannabis from plantations and farms. The agency’s counselling and rehabilitation centre in the state reportedly treated 243 individuals last year, as part of broader efforts to address substance abuse and its consequences.
The Alternative Development Project referenced by Marwa represents a strategic shift in the agency’s approach, moving beyond traditional enforcement and arrest operations to include programmes designed to help peasant farmers transition from illegal cannabis cultivation to legitimate agricultural production. Marwa said the NDLEA has established a specialised unit dedicated to discouraging illicit cultivation and providing alternative livelihood options for rural communities historically dependent on cannabis farming for income.
Governor Aiyedatiwa welcomed the NDLEA’s initiative during the Akure meeting, pledging support for efforts to promote alternative development pathways and reduce dependence on illicit activities. He indicated that state government structures could adopt similar programmes to complement federal efforts in combating drug cultivation and related crime.
Analysts note that linking armed criminal groups with cannabis-growing communities reflects broader trends in Nigeria’s security environment, where overlapping challenges of insurgency, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and economic deprivation complicate enforcement and governance. Remote agrarian zones with limited state presence have long been vulnerable to exploitation by non-state actors, who use difficult terrain and weak institutional oversight to shield their activities. The NDLEA’s assertions suggest that such areas are not only drug cultivation hubs but may also function as informal refuge or logistical bases for criminal networks, intensifying the imperative for integrated security and development responses.
Security experts and community development practitioners argue that addressing the root causes of this phenomenon requires multidimensional strategies. These would need to include improved rural infrastructure, increased economic opportunities, strengthened law enforcement presence, and enhanced intelligence capabilities, alongside targeted initiatives like alternative livelihood programmes. Without sustained interventions that address both security and socio-economic conditions, they say, criminal groups may continue to embed themselves within vulnerable communities.
The NDLEA’s emphasis on combining enforcement with alternative development aligns with a broader global shift in drug policy debates, where punitive approaches are increasingly complemented by preventative and rehabilitative measures. Proponents of such strategies argue that reducing the incentives for illicit cultivation — through sustainable economic development and support for legal agricultural markets — can undercut the economic foundations of illegal drug production and the criminal networks that thrive on it.
Marwa’s remarks come amid wider national discussions about Nigeria’s drug control policies and security challenges. While the immediate focus of the visit to Ondo State was on cannabis cultivation and community engagement, the linkage drawn between drug landscapes and terrorist activity highlights the complexity of intersecting threats facing Nigerian authorities. Government officials, security agencies, and development partners will likely face mounting pressure to refine and scale up interventions that integrate enforcement, community support, and economic diversification to improve stability in rural areas and disrupt the incentives that allow criminal actors to flourish.
For residents of cannabis-producing regions, the NDLEA’s campaign and the presence of security concerns raise immediate questions about safety, livelihoods, and the future of their communities. While state and federal agencies promote alternative development as a pathway to legal economic activity, the transition may be challenging in the absence of reliable markets and sustained investment in infrastructure and services. As Nigeria navigates these complexities, the intersection of illicit cultivation, crime, and rural development will remain an issue of significant public policy importance.
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