Amid Nigeria’s growing drug crisis, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), has warned that terrorists and kidnappers are increasingly taking refuge in cannabis-growing communities across the country.
Speaking in Akure, Ondo State, during a visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ahead of the launch of the NDLEA’s Alternative Development Project, Marwa said intelligence reports indicate that criminal networks, including Boko Haram insurgents and kidnappers, are now living among cannabis farmers in remote forest areas.
“It makes sense to them , why not set up base where drugs are readily available?” he explained. “This strategy allows them to operate with minimal risk while remaining close to resources that fuel their activities”.
Marwa highlighted the scale of the problem, revealing that about 15 million Nigerians use drugs, which translates to roughly one in seven people aged 15–64. He emphasized that cannabis sativa is the most commonly abused substance, accounting for more than 75% of all drug seizures in the country.
“Ondo State continues to be a focal point for cannabis production due to its fertile soil and favourable climate.
“We have a counselling and rehabilitation centre here and have treated 243 individuals so far, but more needs to be done to address both supply and demand”, he said.
The NDLEA chairman said the agency has created a specialised unit to discourage farmers from cultivating cannabis and to provide them with alternative sources of income. The Alternative Development Project aims to reduce reliance on constant raids and arrests by offering legal economic opportunities to communities traditionally involved in illicit cultivation.
Governor Aiyedatiwa pledged the state government’s full support for the NDLEA’s efforts.
“We will assist in every way possible to ensure the success of this program. We will also explore the possibility of creating a state-level alternative development program to complement the national initiative”, he said.
Marwa concluded by emphasizing that tackling Nigeria’s drug challenge requires a combination of intelligence-led enforcement, rehabilitation, and sustainable economic alternatives for farmers.
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