By SEGUN GIWA

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Maj.-Gen. Buba Marwa, on Monday said terrorists and kidnappers now live in cannabis growing communities.

Marwa said this in Akure during a courtesy visit to Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State ahead of the Alternative Development Project campaign targeted at engaging illicit drug growers in the state.

He said that the agency created the Alternative Development Project unit to discourage the peasant farmers growing the illicit drug, especially cannabis sativa.

He said that the programme, which will not stop the enforcement role of the agency, was another way to combat terrorists and others criminals who now stay closer to where illicit drugs were being produced.

According to him, the drug use prevalence is unacceptably high with about 15 million Nigerians using drugs between the ages of 15 and 64, based on the last United Nations drug use survey of 2018.

Marwa said with the figure, it meant that one in seven Nigerians use drugs in the age bracket and the Alternative Development Project campaign would be starting in Ondo State.

The NDLEA chairman who said the agency had convicted 128 drug barons in the last five years, disclosed that of the 15,000 tonnes of illicit substances that the agency seized during the same period, over 75 per cent was cannabis sativa.

According to him, 70 to 75 per cent of those using drugs in Nigeria actually use cannabis sativa.

“The Boko Haram, the terrorists, the kidnappers, in fact the kidnappers now, through our intelligence sources have been shown to live among the cannabis cultivating communities in the deep forests.

“And that makes sense to them, why not establish a base where the drugs are readily available?

“In Ondo State, the drug use prevalence is 17 per cent, which is approximately 400,000.

“In 2025, the NDLEA in Ondo State made 336 arrests with seizures of 22,316 kilogrammes of illicit substances, convicted 62, seized and destroyed 207,000 kilogrammes worth of cannabis in the plantations and farms.

“We have a counselling and rehab centre here; we’ve treated 243, but more significantly, your excellency, Ondo State is the highest producer of cannabis in Nigeria for several reasons; including the climate and the nature of the soil. It encourages this type of trade,” he said.

Marwa, who appreciated the governor for the efforts in the fight against illicit drugs, said the agency was carefully reviewing its law enforcement effort and have decided to choose alternative path instead of constant raids and arrests.

In his remarks, Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa applauded Marwa for leading the initiative which was under his office.

Aiyedatiwa praised the NDLEA boss for his efforts and commitment towards ensuring that the society is rid of illicit drugs.

“We, as government will support you in any way that we can to ensure that we achieve the needed success. We will look into that direction of having our own alternative development programme like yours,” he said. (NAN)

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