By Oluwasore Alabi
The recent destruction of over 75,000 kilograms of skunk by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) across four Nigerian states is both a victory and a warning. While it shows that the agency is actively tackling drug trafficking, it also highlights the deep roots this illegal trade has in our society.
According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, large-scale operations in Edo, Taraba states led to the burning of vast cannabis farms covering over 28 hectares. This Delta, Ondo, and included over 25,000kg of skunk in Delta and another 25,000kg in Ondo. In Edo, 14,233kg were destroyed, and another 7,500kg in Taraba. One warehouse in Edo alone held 901kg, and a 54-year-old woman was arrested in connection to the haul.
These are not small-time operations. They point to organized and well-funded networks that use remote forests to grow and distribute drugs. This means more than just a law enforcement problem, it’s a social crisis.
Drug trafficking is not just about supply; it feeds a growing demand among young people. Arrests in Abuja show how drugs are being delivered like food via dispatch riders. Two suspects were caught with pentazocine injections and packaged skunk, a sign that drug abuse is spreading even in urban areas, in plain sight.
This should concern all Nigerians. Drug abuse fuels crime, mental health issues, and school dropouts. It affects our youth, our families, and our future. While the NDLEA and supporting agencies like the NSCDC and the military are doing their part, they cannot win this war alone.
The question is: What role are communities, parents, and local leaders playing in this fight? How are schools, religious centers, and local media helping to change attitudes about drugs?
The NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign is a step in the right direction. Sensitisation efforts in schools and communities must be supported with real involvement at the grassroots level. If we fail to educate our youth, these destroyed farms will be replanted, and new traffickers will take the place of those arrested.
In conclusion, drug trafficking in Nigeria is not just a police matter it is a national emergency. And it must be treated as such. Until families, communities, and institutions join the fight, we will keep burning farms without burning out the problem.
