Shocking Surge: NDLEA's Record 536 Arrests in Adamawa - What It Means for the Future

In Adamawa, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) detained 536 alleged drug peddlers and seized 4,880kg of illicit drugs.

Mr. Agboala Femi, the NDLEA Commander for Adamawa Command, stated at a news conference in Yola on Monday that the arrests and seizures occurred between January and December 2024.

According to Femi, one of the significant seizures was Cannabis Sativa, which remains the most misused drug in the country.

"In 2024, the Adamawa State Command made 536 arrests. These included 518 men and 18 women, demonstrating the inclusive and nondiscriminatory nature of our activities.
"This is a testament to our commitment to ensuring that all offenders, irrespective of gender, are held accountable for their involvement in drug-related crimes," added the secretary.

According to him, the command secured 148 convictions during the review period, and 59 cases are still ongoing at the Federal High Court in Yola.

Femi stated that the command was devoted to giving help for individuals in terms of drug demand reduction, as 52 clients were admitted for counseling and rehabilitation, 40 of them finished their programmes.

"In the area of preventive education, the command conducted 142 Drug Abuse Preventive Education (DAPE) and War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) programmes, which reached 85,285 participants across various sectors," he told me.

The commander said the fight against drug abuse was a collective responsibility, and called on all stakeholders to continue to collaborating with the agency to achieve drug-free society.