NDLEA, UNODC Unveil Weeklong Activities for 2026 World Drug Day
Oru Leonard
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have announced a weeklong programme of activities to commemorate the 2026 World Drug Day, with the anti-narcotics agency reaffirming its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and targeting the financial foundations of organised crime.
The activities were unveiled on Friday during a joint press briefing held at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the annual observance of World Drug Day on June 26 provides an opportunity to evaluate ongoing efforts against illicit drug trafficking and abuse while setting strategic priorities for the year ahead.
Represented by the agency’s Secretary, Mr. Shadrach Haruna, Marwa said the 2026 theme, “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” reflects the changing dynamics of the global drug landscape.
According to him, the emergence of synthetic drugs, sophisticated trafficking networks and digital illicit markets requires proactive, technology-driven and innovative responses from governments and stakeholders.
He noted that NDLEA had continued to modernise its operations while balancing enforcement activities with robust drug abuse prevention campaigns through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
“At the NDLEA, we have long recognised that old strategies cannot solve new problems. Under the continuous support of the Federal Government and our diverse stakeholders, we have heavily modernised our operations and balanced our enforcement capabilities with aggressive social advocacy,” he said.
Marwa announced that the weeklong commemoration commenced on Friday with a press conference and a special Juma’at prayer service at the National Mosque, Abuja.
Other activities include a Walk Against Drugs on Saturday in partnership with Baze University, Nile University and the MTN Foundation, beginning from the African University of Science and Technology, Galadimawa.
A thanksgiving church service will hold on Sunday, while the national essay competition final, themed “Say No to Drugs: Building a Healthy and Responsible Generation,” is scheduled for Monday at the NDLEA headquarters.
Tuesday has been designated as NGO Day to recognise civil society organisations supporting anti-drug campaigns, while Wednesday’s programme will focus on out-of-school youths in markets and motor parks across the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils.
The week will culminate in a grand finale on June 26 at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, where government officials, diplomats and international partners are expected to unveil new policy frameworks for addressing emerging drug threats.
Highlighting the agency’s recent achievements, Marwa said the WADA campaign, launched in 2021, has evolved into a “whole-of-society approach” that encourages active citizen participation in the fight against drug abuse.
He added that NDLEA’s enforcement operations against drug cartels have continued to yield results through the arrest and prosecution of major traffickers and the confiscation of criminal assets.
“We are not just arresting traffickers; we are liquidating their financial empires. Through the Proceeds of Crime Act, assets reasonably suspected to be proceeds of drug crimes are aggressively targeted and forfeited to the Federal Government, effectively cutting off the lifeblood of these criminal networks,” he said.
Marwa expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, state governments, international partners and local security agencies for their support in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
In his remarks, the UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Cheikh Ousmane Toure, represented by the Deputy Country Representative, Mr. Danielo Campisi, said the global drug problem continues to evolve and requires coordinated action.
He stressed that Nigeria faces the dual challenge of addressing longstanding drug-related issues while adapting to new realities posed by emerging substances and trafficking methods.
“The problem persists, but it is not insurmountable. The challenges are evolving, but so are our solutions, and our response must be united, informed and forward-looking,” Campisi said.
He reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through evidence-based interventions, innovation, international cooperation and human-centred approaches aimed at protecting communities and strengthening national responses to the drug problem.
The World Drug Day is observed annually on June 26 to raise awareness of the dangers of illicit drugs and promote global action against drug abuse and trafficking.
