NDLEA Launches Programme to Help Farmers Quit Illicit Drug Cultivation

By Oluwakemi Kindness

In a bid to shift from raids and crop destruction to livelihood support, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched Africa’s first alternative development programme aimed at helping farmers move away from illicit cannabis cultivation.

The initiative, unveiled in Abuja on Tuesday, by NDLEA Chairman Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), focuses on tackling the reasons people grow illegal drug crops especially poverty and lack of opportunities rather than relying only on arrests and farm eradication.

The pilot project has already begun in Ilu Abo, Ifon, and Eleyewo communities in Ondo State, where farmers are being introduced to legal and sustainable means of earning a living.

Marwa described the programme as a turning point in Nigeria’s drug control efforts.

“This approach represents a win-win solution for communities, for government, and for national security,” he said.

Why the Shift Matters

For years, enforcement agencies have destroyed cannabis farms across different parts of the country. But many of those farms reappear because farmers often have few other ways to survive.

NDLEA says this new approach addresses that cycle directly offering communities alternatives that can boost incomes, improve food production, and reduce their dependence on the illegal drug trade.

According to the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, about 14.3 million Nigerians between ages 15 and 64 used at least one psychoactive substance within a year more than twice the global average.

Cannabis remains the most common drug, with an estimated 10.6 million users and thousands of hectares under cultivation, especially in the South-West.

Marwa warned that cannabis use often starts in the teenage years, increasing the risks of addiction, mental health problems, and involvement in crime.

He noted that cannabis accounts for more than 75 per cent of drugs seized by NDLEA in recent years.

Communities Showing Support

Traditional rulers and residents in the Ondo communities involved in the pilot have reportedly welcomed the programme, seeing it as a lawful and more stable source of income.

NDLEA believes this local support is key to long-term success, saying enforcement alone cannot solve the problem if economic hardship remains.

Backed by Global Partners

The project is being supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and other development partners.

It also aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in areas of food security and job creation.

Officials say if expanded nationwide, the programme could reduce the supply of illicit drugs at the source, ease pressure on the justice system, and improve security in affected communities.

The launch event was attended by Ondo State Governor Dr. Lucky Ayedatiwa and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.