NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa says coordinated intelligence operations helped intercept the drugs as the agency strengthens security at Nigeria’s ports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has recorded NDLEA tramadol seizures of more than two billion pills in the past 18 months, Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) disclosed on Thursday as he warned drug traffickers against exploiting Nigeria’s ports to move illicit substances.

Also read: NDLEA Seizes 1.63m Tramadol Pills, Arrests Suspects

Marwa made the disclosure during a familiarisation tour of the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, where he called for stronger cooperation among security agencies, port operators and other stakeholders to protect the facilities from criminal networks.

He said the massive seizures were achieved through coordinated enforcement operations and intelligence sharing with international partners, particularly authorities in India and Pakistan.

“Within the last 18 months, we have seized more than two billion pills of tramadol through coordinated operations and intelligence sharing with our international partners, especially in India and Pakistan,” Marwa said.

The scale of the seizures underscores the continuing challenge posed by the illicit movement of pharmaceutical drugs in Nigeria, where tramadol has become a major concern for law enforcement and public health authorities.

Marwa warned traffickers against attempting to use the country’s ports as channels for transporting illegal drugs, saying the NDLEA had strengthened its surveillance and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

The agency, he said, was also working with the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and other security bodies under existing memoranda of understanding.

The arrangements are intended to improve intelligence sharing, strengthen coordinated enforcement and facilitate the transfer of cases between relevant agencies.

At the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Lekki Deep Sea Port, Marwa stressed that the fight against drug trafficking required a collective response rather than the efforts of a single agency.

“The fight against drug abuse and trafficking cannot be left to the NDLEA alone,” he said.

“Nigeria is facing a very serious drug challenge. We are all parents, and we see what drug abuse is doing to our youths.”

The NDLEA chairman described the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the free trade zone as strategic national assets whose protection would require sustained cooperation among government institutions, businesses and security agencies.

He said the agency remained committed to disrupting every stage of the illicit drug trade, from cultivation and production to importation, trafficking and distribution.

Marwa also pointed to the recent discovery of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Ogun State as an example of the scale of the threat facing Nigeria.

According to him, the facility could have produced illicit drugs worth about $360 million if it had continued operating undetected.

The NDLEA chairman said the Federal High Court had recently visited the forest location where the laboratory was uncovered as part of proceedings in the ongoing trial of suspects linked to the operation.

He stressed that those allegedly behind the illegal facility, including foreign nationals, should face the full weight of the law.

Beyond enforcement, Marwa urged parents and families to take a more active role in identifying and addressing substance abuse at an early stage.

He advised families who suspect that a relative may be using illicit drugs to seek professional help without delay.

“If there is any suspicion that a family member is using drugs, it is important to conduct a drug test and seek help immediately,” Marwa said.

“Early intervention is better than waiting until addiction leads to psychiatric problems or even death.”

His comments come as the government considers proposed amendments to the NDLEA Act, which Marwa said could introduce tougher penalties for drug traffickers and further strengthen the country’s anti-narcotics campaign.

At the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Managing Director Adesuwa Ladoja pledged continued cooperation with the NDLEA to keep the zone free from illicit drugs and other criminal activities.

Similarly, Managing Director of Lekki Port, Wang Qiang, reaffirmed the port’s commitment to working with the NDLEA and other security agencies.

Qiang said China maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards illicit drugs, signalling the port operator’s willingness to support measures aimed at preventing criminal activity within the facility.

In his welcome remarks, the Area Commander of the NDLEA Lekki Deep Sea Port Command, Jonah Achema, described the command as one of the enduring legacies of Marwa’s leadership.

Achema said Marwa had continued to support and strengthen the command since its establishment in 2022.

He noted that the command had quickly established a reputation through major seizures of tramadol and other illicit drugs, demonstrating its readiness to confront trafficking through Nigeria’s newest deep-sea port.

The latest disclosure comes at a time when Nigeria’s expanding maritime infrastructure is increasingly important to the country’s trade and economic ambitions.

With the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the surrounding free trade zone serving as major gateways for international commerce, security agencies face the difficult task of facilitating legitimate trade while preventing criminal networks from exploiting the same infrastructure.

For the NDLEA, the challenge will be to maintain the momentum of its recent enforcement operations while ensuring that intelligence sharing and collaboration across agencies remain effective.

Marwa’s appeal for broader societal involvement also reflects the wider nature of Nigeria’s drug problem.

While large seizures can disrupt trafficking networks, tackling addiction and preventing young people from becoming involved in drug abuse will require sustained efforts from families, schools, communities, healthcare providers and government institutions.

Also read: NDLEA Dismantles Forest Meth Lab in Oyo, Arrests Mexican Suspect

The seizure of more than two billion tramadol pills in 18 months represents a staggering enforcement figure, but the NDLEA’s latest message is clear: disrupting the supply of illicit drugs and addressing demand must go hand in hand if Nigeria is to make lasting progress in its fight against drug abuse.