This morning in Ilorin, the Kwara State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in partnership with the Kwara State Drug Control Committee and the Office of the First Lady, held a well-attended press briefing to commemorate this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The event, graced by officials and civil society leaders, emphasised a joint resolve to eradicate drug menace from the state’s streets.
NDLEA State Commander, Mrs. Fatima Popoola, disclosed that between January and December 2024, the command arrested 929 individuals, comprising 839 males and 90 females, for offences including possession, trafficking, and consumption of hard drugs
In the same period, the agency seized a staggering 2.64 tonnes of narcotics, with 1.456 tonnes of cannabis leading the haul, alongside tramadol, diazepam, methamphetamine, cough syrup laced with codeine, and even crack-cocaine
Beyond arrests, Mrs. Popoola highlighted the softer side of enforcement: 185 drug users received counselling through the NDLEA’s Drug Demand Reduction unit and were re-united with their families, while 22 individuals were admitted into the rehabilitation centre and 17 others benefitted from outpatient counselling
Legal action has been swift too, as the agency secured 133 convictions in the Federal High Court at Ilorin, and seized 14 vehicles and 12 motorcycles, all forfeited to the Federal Government
The collaboration extends upstream through preventive education. The State’s “Drug Testing Policy”, launched by NDLEA in conjunction with government agencies, has screened 261 fresh students at Kwara State University, Malete, all returning negative results, a move aimed at integrating the SDG‑3 goal of promoting health and wellbeing by 2030
Addressing participants, the representative of the First Lady reiterated the office’s commitment, noting partnerships with support centres that equip rehabilitated youths with vocational skills, such as sewing, baking, and graphic design, to support reintegration and resilience
Meanwhile, community-focused sensitisation programmes have been extended to secondary schools, markets, motor parks, and rural communities, led by the Drug Control Committee and health officials, to raise awareness and build local
Mrs. Popoola urged parents, educators, and grassroots leaders to stay vigilant, counsel young ones against the lure of harmful substances, and support the drive for a drug-free Kwara State. The First Lady’s office, NDLEA, and the drug control committee have vowed to sustain this multi-pronged strategy, enforcement, rehabilitation, education, and community engagement, to tackle both supply and demand for drugs across the state.
