NDLEA, UNODC unveil weeklong activities for 2026 World Drug Day

Crime Diary

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have unveiled a weeklong programme of activities to mark the 2026 World Drug Day, with the anti-narcotics agency reaffirming its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and depriving criminal syndicates of their financial resources.

The activities were announced on Friday during a joint press briefing by the NDLEA and UNODC at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, said the annual observance provides an opportunity to assess progress in the fight against illicit drugs and chart a course for future interventions.

Represented by the Secretary of the agency, Mr Shadrach Haruna, Marwa said the theme for this year’s commemoration, “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” reflects the changing dynamics of the global drug landscape.

According to him, emerging threats such as synthetic drugs, sophisticated trafficking networks and digital drug markets require innovative and technology-driven responses.

“At the NDLEA, we have long recognised that old strategies cannot solve new problems. Under the continuous support of the Federal Government and our diverse stakeholders, we have heavily modernised our operations and balanced our enforcement capabilities with aggressive social advocacy,” he said.

Marwa noted that the agency’s flagship War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign remains central to its preventive efforts and has been strengthened through the use of data, community intelligence and innovative public enlightenment strategies.

He announced that the weeklong activities would begin with a special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja on Friday and continue with a Walk Against Drugs on Saturday in collaboration with Baze University, Nile University and the MTN Foundation.

Other activities include a thanksgiving church service, a national essay competition for students, an NGO engagement day and a youth outreach programme targeting vulnerable groups in markets and motor parks across the Federal Capital Territory.

The activities will culminate in a grand finale on June 26 at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, where government officials, diplomats and international partners are expected to unveil new policy frameworks to address contemporary drug-related challenges.

Highlighting the agency’s achievements, Marwa said the WADA initiative, launched in 2021, had evolved into a successful “whole-of-society” approach that encourages public participation in the fight against drug abuse.

He added that the agency’s “Offensive Action” against drug cartels, launched in January 2021, has continued to yield significant results through the arrest and prosecution of major traffickers.

“We are not just arresting traffickers; we are liquidating their financial empires. Assets reasonably suspected to be proceeds of drug crimes are aggressively targeted and forfeited to the Federal Government, effectively cutting off the lifeblood of these criminal networks,” he said.

Marwa expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his support, as well as to international partners including the UNODC, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, the French Police and Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA).

In his remarks, UNODC Country Representative, Mr Cheikh Ousmane Toure, represented by Deputy Country Representative Mr Danielo Campisi, said Nigeria faces both longstanding and emerging drug-related challenges that require collective action.

He stressed that no single institution can tackle the problem alone and reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through evidence-based strategies, innovation, international cooperation and human-centred interventions.

“As we commemorate World Drug Day, UNODC reaffirms its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts. Together, we can strengthen our collective response to the world drug problem and advance solutions that protect people and communities,” he said.