NDLEA warns of generational drug war and rising cannabis-linked crime

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has characterized the fight against illicit drugs in Nigeria as a generational responsibility rather than a finite campaign. During an awards ceremony in Abuja, NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa noted that as cartels are dismantled, new networks frequently emerge to replace them, requiring sustained enforcement and community-based advocacy.

In Edo State, the agency has identified a direct link between cannabis cultivation and rising rural insecurity. Mitchell Ofoyeju, the NDLEA Edo State Commander, reported that forest lands previously used for agriculture are being converted into large-scale cannabis plantations. This shift is reportedly fueling a violent ecosystem involving kidnapping, arms proliferation, cultism, and the exploitation of youth.

Ofoyeju warned that the rise of these plantations has displaced legitimate food production, as farmers fear attacks when accessing their lands. He suggested that effective drug control could potentially reduce crime rates by 50 per cent, as many criminal activities are perpetrated under the influence of drugs.