Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has publicly destroyed 329,865.585 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs and psychotropic substances seized in Lagos, with the agency's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd.), warning drug barons, traffickers and dealers that their days of operating with impunity are over. The destruction, carried out at the Nigeria Navy Camp in Apapa on Monday, August 17, 2026, was pursuant to an order of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, and involved narcotics seized by the NDLEA Lagos State Strategic Command and other strategic commands in the state. Marwa said the exhibits had an estimated street value of N301.058 billion, describing their destruction as a demonstration of Nigeria's determination to protect its citizens and deny criminal networks the resources to thrive.
According to the NDLEA chairman, the quantity destroyed comprised 246,864.535 kilogrammes seized by the Lagos Strategic Command between April 2025 and May 2026, and another 83,001.05 kilogrammes recovered by the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Tin Can, Apapa, Marine and other strategic commands in Lagos. The substances destroyed included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, various strains of cannabis, including Canadian loud and skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat. Marwa stressed that the destruction was more than the disposal of seized contraband, emphasising that every kilogramme removed from circulation represented a potential threat to public health, families, communities and the economy averted.
"Behind every kilogramme of these drugs lies a tragic story," Marwa said, adding that drug abuse could destroy the future of young people, tear families apart, fuel crime and contribute to road crashes caused by impaired driving. According to him, illicit drugs also undermine the economy by reducing productivity, weakening the labour force, increasing healthcare costs, discouraging investment and draining public resources. He further linked drug trafficking to organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism, saying proceeds from the illicit trade had become an important source of funding for criminal networks around the world. "By intercepting and destroying these substances, the NDLEA is not only enforcing drug laws; we are strengthening Nigeria's national security architecture and protecting our sovereignty," he said.
The NDLEA boss commended President Bola Tinubu for providing strategic direction and institutional support to the agency, while also appreciating the Lagos State Government, the judiciary, the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund and international partners for their collaboration. He particularly acknowledged the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for attending the event despite being outside the country when he was invited. Marwa also assured NDLEA personnel that the Federal Government would provide additional operational support, including arms, ammunition, vehicles and other equipment, adding that the welfare of officers remained a priority, noting that many had risked their lives in the service of the country.
Turning to drug traffickers, Marwa issued a stern warning. "Your days of operating with impunity are over. It is no longer business as usual," he said, warning that the agency would pursue drug barons, financiers, distributors and dealers wherever they operated. He urged Nigerians to support the campaign against drug abuse, calling on parents, schools and community leaders to join the fight against the scourge.
The destruction of the illicit drugs comes amid a series of recent successes by the NDLEA in Lagos. Between August 7 and 8, 2026, operatives recovered 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at over N2.6 billion from a warehouse in the Ago Palace area of Okota. In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, officers arrested a marble dealer with 1.55 kilogrammes of cocaine expertly concealed inside his suitcase. The agency also destroyed more than 4.6 tonnes of cannabis on farms in Edo State, underscoring its sustained offensive against drug cartels across the country.
The destruction of the N301 billion haul marks one of the largest single drug disposal exercises in Nigeria's history. For Marwa, the message was clear: the agency would not relent until every drug baron was brought to justice and every kilogramme of illicit substances was removed from the streets. As he put it, "That is over N301 billion that will never find its way into the pockets of drug barons or into the ruining of a single Nigerian home."
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