The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to fighting drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria, with Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator George Akume stating that protecting citizens from substance abuse remains a priority. Speaking on July 8, 2026, through his representative Dr Adamu Ibrahim Kana, Akume emphasized the administration's focus on dismantling drug networks, expanding rehabilitation access and safeguarding youth. The remarks were made at the National Drug Use Summit in Abuja, themed Addressing Illicit Drug Use and Trafficking: A Call to National Action, jointly organized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Akume stressed that national development cannot thrive if young people remain trapped in addiction or if drug-related crime undermines institutions.
NDLEA Chairman Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) said the summit followed World Drug Day activities and aims to foster coordinated, evidence-based responses to Nigeria's evolving drug challenges. He acknowledged that while the agency has made progress, solving the issue requires broader collaboration involving families, religious leaders, civil society and the private sector. Marwa disclosed that in the past 18 months, 29,262 suspects were arrested, over 5.3 million kilograms of illicit drugs seized, and 5,225 convictions secured, with an estimated value of the seized drugs exceeding N1.5 trillion. The agency also conducted 6,645 awareness campaigns reaching close to five million people and provided counselling and rehabilitation to 13,508 drug users across its 31 centres. A National Action Plan is expected to emerge from the summit to strengthen prevention, treatment and policy implementation.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare Professor Ali Pate urged that the summit yield tangible outcomes, warning against letting discussions end without practical results.
Senator George Akume asserts national development is threatened by drug abuse, yet his office operates under a government that has not publicly released a national drug policy or budgetary allocation for rehabilitation. The NDLEA reports 13,508 treated users over 18 months, but with no data on relapse rates or long-term outcomes, the scale of actual recovery remains unclear. Brigadier General Marwa calls for multi-sectoral action while relying on a summit format that produces no binding commitments. The gap between arrest statistics and sustainable rehabilitation strategies raises questions about the administration's definition of success.
💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
