Nigeria has received fresh backing from international partners including the European Union, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Economic Community of West African States for its next five-year strategy to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

The support was announced during the opening of a two-day National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) Consultative Forum organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Abuja on Monday.

The new strategy, covering 2026 to 2030, comes amid growing concerns over synthetic drugs, rising substance abuse among young people, and the increasing use of digital platforms by trafficking networks.

Why the new drug control plan matters

Nigeria remains a key transit point in global drug trafficking routes linking Latin America, West Africa and Europe.

Officials at the forum warned that evolving drug networks, online trafficking systems and increasing abuse of prescription medicines are creating new challenges for law enforcement agencies and healthcare systems.

NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, said Africa could witness a sharp rise in drug use by 2030 if urgent action is not taken.

“UNODC projections suggest a 40% spike in drug use across Africa by 2030,” Marwa said.

He added that West Africa remains “a high-pressure corridor for cocaine flows between Latin America and Europe”, citing recent reports from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Marwa warned that Nigeria could not afford to become complacent.

“As Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, Nigeria cannot afford to be a passive observer. The risks to our youth, our workforce, and our national security are too high,” he said.

The NDLEA boss explained that the proposed master plan would introduce new measures focused on alternative livelihoods and disrupting the financial structures supporting drug trafficking networks.

EU pledges stronger partnership with Nigeria

The European Union said drug trafficking had become a shared international security issue affecting both Africa and Europe.

Speaking on behalf of the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Deputy Head of Delegation Zissimos Vergos said Nigeria’s anti-drug efforts were critical beyond its borders.

“What affects the youth of Maiduguri or the streets of Ibadan does not stay within Nigerian borders,” he said.

“Drug trafficking is a transnational challenge, and the master plan laid before this forum is Nigeria’s contribution to a transnational response.”

Vergos praised NDLEA officials for their work and said the EU was prepared to strengthen international cooperation with Nigeria.

“Nigeria has the talent, Nigeria has the institutions. Nigeria has the experience of having faced and surmounted enormous challenges before,” he added.

UNODC raises alarm over synthetic drugs

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime said the global drug landscape was rapidly changing due to synthetic drugs and encrypted online trafficking operations.

UNODC Country Representative Chiekh Ousmane Touré said Nigeria was at the centre of these emerging threats.

“This underscores the urgency of developing a master plan that is not only comprehensive and balanced, but also data-driven, forward-looking, and adaptable to emerging threats,” he said.

Touré pledged continued technical support for Nigeria, including law enforcement training, prevention campaigns and treatment programmes.

ECOWAS says Nigeria’s strategy influences West Africa

ECOWAS officials described Nigeria’s drug control framework as one of the region’s most influential policy documents.

Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs at ECOWAS, Daniel Amankwaah, said other West African countries often draw lessons from Nigeria’s approach.

“The Nigerian master plan is so important to the ECOWAS Commission because it is out of it that we generate some of the contents for some of our member states,” he said.

He also promised continued regional support during implementation of the new strategy.

Education sector calls for multi-sector response

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad, called for stronger collaboration between schools, healthcare providers, security agencies and communities.

She said drug abuse continued to affect families, communities and the future of young Nigerians.

“It is important that we adopt a holistic and multi-sectoral approach that integrates education, healthcare, law enforcement, community engagement, and social support systems,” she said.

The forum also featured contributions from the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics and the National Orientation Agency.

What happens next?

Stakeholders at the forum are expected to review and finalise the Zero Draft of the National Drug Control Master Plan 2026–2030.

The strategy will shape Nigeria’s anti-drug policies over the next five years, focusing on prevention, rehabilitation, enforcement, intelligence gathering and international cooperation.

Analysts say the success of the plan will depend heavily on funding, political commitment, public awareness and regional collaboration.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted cocaine and opioid consignments concealed in carton walls and packaged for shipment to the United Kingdom and Australia.

According to the agency, the seizures were made at a courier company in Lagos during cargo inspections on Friday, 15 May 2026.

Officials recovered 170 grams of cocaine wrapped in cellophane and hidden inside the walls of a carton containing clothes destined for Australia.

Another shipment headed to the UK allegedly contained opioids concealed inside a carton. NDLEA said the package contained 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 tramadol capsules, and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection.

The interceptions come amid growing concerns over the use of Nigerian export channels for international drug trafficking operations.

Massive Delta forest raids destroy 65,000kg of skunk

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives carried out raids in forest locations in Ukwuani and Ughelli North local government areas, destroying what the agency described as large cannabis plantations.

At Ejeonu village in Ukwuani LGA, officers reportedly destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk spread across 11 hectares of farmland during an operation on 10 May.

The agency also said officers recovered an additional 22.9kg of the substance and arrested a 52-year-old suspect identified as Ifeanyichukwu Peter in a follow-up operation at Obiaruku.

In a separate raid at Orogun village in Ughelli North LGA on 12 May, NDLEA said another 37,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 15 hectares of land was destroyed.

A suspect, 30-year-old Godwin Vincent Osadera, was arrested during the operation.

The agency said the combined operations led to the destruction of 65,000 kilograms of skunk, with support from Nigerian soldiers.

Ammunition concealed in ‘garri’ intercepted in Kaduna

In Kaduna State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna highway intercepted 1,989 rounds of military-grade ammunition allegedly hidden inside sacks of cassava granules popularly known as garri.

The agency said a 35-year-old suspect, Abdullahi Hassan, was arrested in connection with the seizure on 12 May.

NDLEA identified the ammunition as RLA 7.62mm rounds and confirmed that both the suspect and the recovered ammunition had been transferred to another security agency for further investigation.

Security analysts have repeatedly warned about the overlap between drug trafficking, arms smuggling and organised criminal networks operating across parts of Nigeria.

Abuja businessman arrested over drug-laced cakes and cookies

NDLEA also announced the arrest of a 29-year-old businessman, Ogadi Peter, in Abuja over the alleged production of drug-laced cakes and cookies supplied to parties and social gatherings.

The suspect was arrested at his residence in the Life Camp area of the Federal Capital Territory following intelligence gathering by the agency.

Officers reportedly recovered 800 grams of skunk and 2.7kg of drug-infused cookies during the operation.

The development highlights a growing trend of narcotics being infused into food products, especially among young people and at social events.

Other arrests across Nigeria

In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives said they recovered 181kg of skunk during a raid in the Ogere area and arrested a suspect identified as Aliyu Sani.

In Taraba State, officers arrested 27-year-old Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa along Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari LGA with 105,850 opioid pills, including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5.

Two suspects, Adeleke Olamide Aliyah, 20, and Aloba Abdulazeez, 25, were also arrested in Oyo State after NDLEA officers seized 99 litres of skuchies in Saki town.

In Edo State, operatives destroyed more than 1,388kg of skunk during raids on farms located in Ago Forest, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

Meanwhile, in Kano State, officers intercepted 1.2kg of tramaking 225mg pills concealed inside a 25-litre jerrycan of palm oil at Kofar Ruwa motor park.

Another suspect, Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested in Sabuwar Sharada with 30.5kg of skunk.

NDLEA expands anti-drug awareness campaigns

Beyond enforcement operations, the agency said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools across the country.

The advocacy programmes were held in schools in Oyo, Niger, Lagos, Katsina, Ekiti and Kano states during the past week.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the recent operations.

According to a statement signed by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Marwa praised commands across the country for balancing “drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts”.

Why this matters

Nigeria remains a major transit route in global drug trafficking networks due to its strategic air, sea and land connections.

Security experts say increasing concealment methods — including hiding narcotics inside food items, export cartons and household products — are making detection more complex for law enforcement agencies.

The latest seizures also raise broader concerns about opioid abuse, youth drug consumption and links between trafficking syndicates and armed criminal groups.

What happens next?

Investigations into the seized shipments and arrested suspects are expected to continue in multiple states.

Authorities are also likely to intensify cargo inspections at courier facilities and interstate highways as trafficking networks adopt more sophisticated smuggling methods.

The Oyo State Police Command has officially inaugurated a new Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) alongside an Oversight Committee designed to strengthen accountability and improve rapid response to violent crimes across the state.

The launch comes amid growing public concern over kidnappings and insecurity in parts of Oyo State, including the recent abduction of school children in Oriire Local Government Area.

At the inauguration ceremony on Friday, Governor Seyi Makinde announced the donation of five operational vehicles to support the unit’s activities and improve emergency response operations.

The governor described the recent school abduction incident as “unacceptable” and urged the newly established unit and other security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of the victims.

“The recent abduction of school children in the state is unacceptable,” Governor Makinde said while charging security operatives to strengthen coordinated rescue efforts.

The event also featured tactical demonstrations and hostage rescue simulations carried out by officers of the VCRU, showcasing the police command’s readiness to respond to violent attacks and emerging security threats.

Oversight Committee Includes Students, Journalists, Human Rights Groups

The police said the newly inaugurated Oversight Committee was created to ensure professionalism, transparency and community participation in the operations of the unit.

Members include representatives from the Students’ Union Government (SUG), the National Human Rights Commission, the Babaloha’s Association, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and traditional rulers across the state.

Security analysts say involving community stakeholders in police oversight could improve public trust and intelligence sharing, especially in areas facing security challenges.

Public affairs analyst Adekunle Adebayo told NigeriaUpdates that civilian oversight “can help reduce concerns about abuse of power while encouraging cooperation between residents and law enforcement.”

He added that rapid-response policing models have become increasingly important in states dealing with rising cases of kidnapping and armed violence.

Why the New Unit Matters

The establishment of the VCRU follows renewed pressure on security agencies nationwide to respond more quickly to violent crimes, particularly kidnappings targeting schools and rural communities.

Oyo State has witnessed increasing security operations in recent months as authorities attempt to curb armed attacks, highway robberies and abductions.

Governor Makinde said his administration would continue supporting security agencies with logistics and operational resources to protect lives and property.

He also praised the Inspector-General of Police for initiating the unit and commended the Oyo State Police Command for efforts to maintain peace in the state.

Police Promise Intelligence-Led Operations

Responding during the event, Commissioner of Police Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbemiga thanked the state government for its continued support.

According to him, the operational vehicles donated by the governor would significantly improve mobility and response times for officers deployed under the new unit.

“The donation of the operational vehicles — the first of its kind for the VCRU anywhere in the federation — will significantly enhance the operational efficiency, mobility, and response capability of the unit,” the police commissioner said.

He also reassured residents that the command remained committed to proactive policing, intelligence-led operations and strategic partnerships aimed at improving security across the state.

Public Emergency Contacts

Residents were advised to contact emergency authorities through the following lines:

Oyo State Call Response Center (Toll-Free): 615

Oyo State Police Command Control Room: 08081768614, 07055495413

Industry and Public Reactions

Security observers say the success of the VCRU will depend largely on funding, training, intelligence gathering and sustained cooperation with local communities.

Civil society groups have also welcomed the inclusion of the National Human Rights Commission and journalists in the oversight structure, describing it as a step toward accountability.

Some residents, however, say they expect measurable improvements in response times and crime prevention rather than symbolic launches.

What Happens Next?

The Oyo State Police Command is expected to begin full deployment of the VCRU across identified flashpoints in the state.

Authorities say the unit will focus on violent crimes including kidnapping, armed robbery, hostage situations and emergency tactical interventions.

Security experts will also be watching closely to see how the oversight committee functions and whether the initiative can become a model for other states.