Tinubu: War Against Drug, Must be Embraced by All, Seen as a National Movement

By: Michael Mike

President Bola Tinubu has declared that the fight against the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria must be embraced by all as a national movement rather than one for governments alone.

The President stated this in his keynote address at the grand finale of a weeklong programme to commemorate the 2025 World Drug Day held at the Presidential Villa Conference Centre, Abuja on Thursday.

He said d: “Let us also be clear: this fight is not one for governments alone. It must be a national movement—driven by families, faith leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups, community leaders, businesses, and, crucially, people with lived experience. Their voices matter. Their stories inspire. Their leadership is essential.

“At the same time, we must not ignore the deeper roots of this crisis. Drug abuse is tied to poverty, inequality, violence and conflict. To effectively tackle this problem, our approach must be comprehensive. We must foster peace. We must promote inclusive development. And we must uphold human rights every step of the way.”

Tinubu, who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume assured that Nigeria stands firmly with the global community in the effort to tame the scourge of drug abuse and its consequences.

He said: “We are committed to working hand in hand with all nations to end this menace and tame illicit trafficking of substances. Together, we can dismantle the systems that sustain this crisis. Together, we can build a future where prevention is strong, treatment is accessible, and recovery is not just possible—but celebrated. There is no doubt that in the past two years, this has been the focus of the renewed hope agenda of our administration; breaking the burden of poverty, uplifting millions out of squalor and caring for the needs of the masses especially our youth population through student loans scheme and other empowerment initiatives.”

The President while commending “the great efforts of the NDLEA, its personnel and the leadership headed by Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) for their globally acclaimed successes not only in the area of drug supply reduction but equally in drug demand reduction through aggressive nationwide sensitization aimed at prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of treated drug users back into their families and the society”, noted that the efforts “have not only attracted commendations from international partners and western nations but more support and collaboration with Nigeria in the global effort to curb the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.”

In his welcome remarks at the occasion, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that there is no better time than now for the country to take drug use prevention seriously. According to him, “the reality around us is a strong indication—a wake-up call—for us as parents, guardians and governments to step up preventive measures.

He said: “For our nation, prevention is particularly critical, as we are already grappling with a serious challenge. Seven years ago, we came to the stark realisation that Nigeria had one of the highest drug abuse prevalence rates in the world. Today, with a population exceeding 230 million, it is both urgent and pragmatic to prevent new individuals from being drawn into the population of drug users. As parents, guardians, and leaders, we must be more vigilant and recognise that the issue of drug abuse is not distant—it is close to home. We must acknowledge that children are especially vulnerable, and we should not dismiss experimentation with illicit drugs as behaviour limited to a particular demographic.”

He said the NDLEA has continued to strengthen prevention strategies while being ferocious in its drug supply reduction activities, adding that addressing the socio-economic drivers of drug abuse is also crucial, as a prevention strategy. He noted that: “The Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is providing leverage to tackle such critical factors as poverty and unemployment. Initiatives like NELFUND, which offers student loans, and programmes like the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT), which improve technical skills required for digital economy employability, along with improved national security, will reduce the factors that increase the likelihood of drug abuse.”

He added that: “In the final analysis, however, much responsibility rests on parenting. So, we should be looking at how to empower those invested with the role of parenting. Through our War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign, we work with parents, teachers and leaders in communities, institutions and associations to spread awareness and teach how to safeguard younger generations. Our family support advocacy emphasises that children don’t just need money—they need the presence and voice of their parents and guardians. Parents must ask questions, dig deeper, and instill values.

“Teachers also play a crucial role. They are deeply influential in shaping character and instilling values during the school years. The national curriculum now includes topics on drug abuse, and teachers are in a prime position to guide and protect young minds.

“Our advocacy efforts under the WADA campaign continue to gain momentum. Every week, across Nigeria, our 36 state commands with the FCT and 14 zonal commands engage in WADA outreach—raising awareness in schools, offices, religious centres, communities, motor parks and markets. We educate the public about the dangers of drug abuse and how to escape its grip. In recent years, many non-governmental organisations have joined NDLEA in partnership to broaden the reach of WADA advocacy. As a result, we have organised 11, 123 sensitisation programmes in schools, work places, worship centres, markets, motor parks and communities, while millions have been reached through our various robust weekly media engagements. This is in addition to thousands more who have benefitted from the psycho-social support services provided through our 24/7 Call Centre on our toll-free helpline- 080010203040.

“At the same time, we have ramped up treatment and rehabilitation efforts, with 30 centres currently active, where we have in the past 53 months counselled and rehabilitated 26,393 persons. Thanks to the support of Mr. President, seven new rehabilitation centres have now been approved and will be developed under the current year’s budget. That will broaden access to treatment.”

He also noted that prevention efforts will amount to little if access to illicit drugs remains open and easy. “Put simply, while we work strategically to prevent individuals from initiating drug use, we must simultaneously shut down the pipeline through which these harmful substances are distributed. We must remove traffickers from the equation. This is a task we have continued to pursue diligently, deploying every resource at our disposal.

“Over the past four and a half years, we have arrested 66,085 offenders—including 94 identified drug barons. Our Operation Offensive Action has yielded tangible results, including the seizure of 11,143,717.44kg assorted illicit drugs with life sentences now being secured in court while a total of 12,201 offenders have bagged various jail terms within the same time frame.”

He expressed gratitude to the individuals and institutions that have shown determination and resolve in helping to stem the tide of drug abuse in Nigeria. “We deeply appreciate the unwavering support of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His administration has provided the NDLEA with robust backing. We are also grateful to the National Assembly—particularly the chairmen and members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Drugs and Narcotics—who have been steadfast allies of the agency. Similarly, the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum and the MTN Nigeria Foundation have proven to be valued partners in progress.

“To the UNODC, INL, DEA, UK Border Force, NCA and the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and France—thank you for your continued and meaningful support.”

On his part, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said drug abuse is not just a public health crisis, but a threat to national security, social stability, and economic development. “Drug abuse and trafficking force organized crime undermines the rule of law and destroys the hope and future of our young people, our most precious national assets. Ladies and gentlemen, the evidence is indeed clear that investing in prevention of illicit drug cultivation and trafficking works.”

He said “prevention effort must be integrated into our educational system, health care services, and criminal justice programmes. The federal government is committed to tackling the drug problem and has put in place several drug control frameworks and instruments, including action plans and strategies with the overall aim to significantly reduce the prevalence of production, trafficking, sales, and use of illicit drugs, and its attendant social, economic, and health implications.”

Also speaking, Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio who was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, said the fight against the drug scourge “is not a war of convenience, it is a war of necessity. Every life lost to addiction is not just a tragedy, it is a failure of our collective will. Every young Nigerian drawn into this abyss is a call to arms.”

Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Cheikh Toure said prevention, treatment and recovery must not be seen as luxuries. “They are life-saving investments. Together we can break the vicious cycle of drug abuse, organized crime and marginalization and together we can build a safer, healthier and more hopeful Nigeria”, he added.

Tinubu: War Against Drug, Must be Embraced by All, Seen as a National Movement