The Delta State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a staggering haul of narcotics valued at over N3 billion during its operations throughout the year 2025. This success was paired with significant legal victories, resulting in 226 convictions during the same period.
Halilu Hamidu, the State Commander of the NDLEA, revealed these figures at a press briefing on Friday, where he provided a comprehensive review of the command’s activities from January to December 2025.
Commander Hamidu noted that despite persistent logistical challenges, formidable resistance from organized criminal networks, and difficult terrain across known drug-prone communities, NDLEA operatives executed “sustained, aggressive and intelligence-driven” operations to achieve these results.
The Scale of Interception
The data presented by the Commander underscored the massive scale of drug interception. A total of 2,265 kilograms of dry hard drugs were seized, including:
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Cannabis Sativa: 1,750 kg
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Cocaine: 224.65 kg
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Methamphetamine: 800.8 kg
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Tramadol: 311.9 kg
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Cannabis Sativa seeds: 310.6 kg
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Heroin: 32.3 kg
The seizure list also included various psychotropic substances such as Swinol/Rohypnol (9.04 kg), Diazepam (20.01 kg), Exol (166 kg), Molly (2.1 kg), Hypnox (6.1 kg), and Cocodamol (13 kg).
In addition to dry substances, the command intercepted 714.4 litres of liquid narcotics, primarily consisting of codeine (657.5 litres), along with pentazocine, injectable diazepam, and cannabis-gin mixtures.
Legal and Enforcement Victories
On the legal front, the command achieved remarkable success. From January 1 to December 12, 2025, the command secured 226 convictions at the Federal High Courts in both Asaba and Warri. Commander Hamidu described the year’s legal engagement as “intense,” with prosecutors handling a record volume of cartel-linked cases. Currently, 189 drug-related cases remain pending before the courts.
Enforcement efforts also extended to the source of production, as Hamidu confirmed the destruction of significant cultivation areas: 10.2 hectares of cannabis farms at Emu-Obiogo and 50 hectares at Innam-Abbi, both located in the Ndokwa West council area of the state.
Battling Demand and Addiction
Painting a worrying picture of the social cost of narcotics, the Commander disclosed that the Drug Demand Reduction Unit provided counselling to 704 drug-dependent persons—480 men and 224 women—in less than a year. Of these, 14 individuals were admitted for full rehabilitation.
Commander Hamidu maintained that the agency is determined to “sustain its offensive” against drug traffickers and abusers. He concluded by calling for deeper collaboration among communities, local governments, and security agencies to effectively break the destructive cycle of drug abuse and trafficking in Delta State
