By By Elizabeth Ugbo
The Society for Drug Abuse Enlightenment and Control (SODAEC) condemned the federal government on Wednesday in Kaduna for failing to release the 2025 capital funds to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), calling it a grave threat to Nigeria’s national security.
NDLEA Operations Hampered by Lack of Funding
SODAEC Executive Director Ahmad Umar revealed the situation during the National Assembly Joint Committee on Drugs and Narcotics proceedings. He said the non-release of funds is a “calculated abandonment of Nigeria’s most critical line of defence against narcotics and insecurity.”
Despite major operational successes, NDLEA continues to operate without adequate capital support. Under Chairman Mohammed Marwa, the agency has seized large quantities of illicit drugs and destroyed cannabis farms nationwide.
“These weekly interdictions show what is possible with commitment and professionalism. But commitment alone cannot replace funding,” Umar emphasized.
Critical Resource Shortages Threaten Security
Umar highlighted that NDLEA serves over 200 million Nigerians with fewer than 14,000 personnel. Some states operate with only three vehicles, which he described as “not just inadequate; it is dangerous.”
The director stressed that NDLEA’s role goes beyond drug seizures, including intelligence gathering, financial tracking, and prosecution.
NDLEA Funding Must Match Other Security Agencies
Umar argued that NDLEA deserves funding comparable to or exceeding that of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He explained that drug money fuels banditry, terrorism, corruption, and economic crimes. “Strengthening NDLEA strikes at the root of multiple security threats,” he said.
International Support Surpasses Domestic Backing
Umar noted that NDLEA receives more operational support from international partners, like the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), than from Nigerian authorities. He called for immediate investigation into the 2025 capital allocation delays.
SODAEC also demanded that NDLEA be placed on first-line charge to protect it from “annual budgetary volatility and administrative bottlenecks.”
Call for Local Government Action
Beyond federal intervention, SODAEC urged state governors and local government chairmen to take greater responsibility in curbing drug abuse and trafficking.
“Nigeria cannot fight a 21st-century narco-war with shrinking resources. Statutory and predictable funding for NDLEA is no longer optional; it is urgent,” Umar concluded.
