The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Adamawa Command, arrested 583 suspects, intercepted and removed from circulation five tonnes of various illicit drugs.
Aliyu Abubakar, the NDLEA Commander in Adamawa, disclosed this at an event to commemorate the United Nations 2026 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Yola on Friday.
The theme for the 2026 celebration of the day is “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues New Challenges, Innovative Responses”
The commander, who gave stewardship of the command between June 2025 and June 2026, said that as part of the success recorded, the command secured convictions of 270 suspects in the state.
Abubakar also said that substance seized included Tramadol, Diazepam, Codeine weighing 2,451.684 kg; Cannabis Sativa 2,925.089 kg and Methamphetamine commonly known as “Ice” 736 grams.
He added that the command also destroyed 13 hectares of Cannabis farm at Mayo-Belwa and Mubi-South LGAs.
“Within the period under review, the command successfully secured the convictions of 270 drug suspects including two females to various terms of imprisonment,” the commander said.
Abubakar added that 196 other cases were at various stages of prosecution before the Federal High Court, Yola.
In his presentation, Dr Stephen John, a consultant with the United Nations Office for Projects Services, Geneva, said that
the problem of drug abuse was a serious public health problem.
“And drug abuse has been a cause of criminal offences; theft, burglary, sex work, and shoplifting among others,” the consultant said.
He advised government at all levels to invest in capacity building of personnel of the NDLEA to identify and contain innovative approaches that promote drug and substance abuse.
“Strengthen laws and enforcement against illicit drug trafficking and promote compassion-centered policies prioritising human rights as well as design interventions that strategically target the sources of drugs”, John said.
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Also, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Aloysius Baba-Doke, appreciated NDLEA and assured of the government’s continued support in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in the state.
He also tasked stakeholders to double effort on the fight against drug abuse as it’s everybody’s responsibility.
Traditional and religious leaders in attendance at the event appreciated the NDLEA’s fight against drug abuse in the state and country.
