The NDLEA is a federal law enforcement Agency established by Decree No. 48 of 29th December 1989. The promulgation of the decree was chiefly in response to the rising trend in the demand for and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances which adversely affected the international image of Nigerians and Nigeria in the 1980s. Since then the trafficking of illicit substances has become an organised criminal activity that undermines the security and development of the country and therefore demands urgent attention and priority from the government.
NDLEA is in charge of drug policy and control in Nigeria. Within this purview, the Agency has the mandate to curtail illicit production, importation, exportation, sale and trafficking of psychoactive substances. Employees of NDLEA carry out interdiction and destruction of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances. They also engage in preventive drug abuse activities such as advocacy and counselling, and rehabilitation of drug users.
In fulfilling the mandate of the Agency, thousands of expert narcotic operatives and well-trained support staff of NDLEA work across Nigeria with a visible presence at international airports, seaports, border crossing and major highways. Committed to keeping society safe from the dangers of illicit substances and their purveyors, NDLEA operatives are actively engaged in the tracking, arrest and prosecution of traffickers of dangerous substances under the various relevant drug laws of Nigeria.
The establishment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by the promulgation of Decree Number 48 of 1989, now Act of Parliament, was aimed at exterminating illicit drug trafficking and consumption in the Nigerian society. It is a well-known fact that any involvement in drugs, especially their importation, exportation, sale, transfer, purchase, cultivation, manufacture, extraction and possession is universally unacceptable.
NDLEA has 14 directorates, 14 zonal commands, 111 state area commands and 10 Special (airports & seaports) commands. We are present in all the nation’s airports, seaports,
border posts and strategic locations on the road networks in the country.
Offensive Action is a non-stop, ramped-up drug supply reduction campaign. Launched on 18th January 2021, it galvanised NDLEA operatives to work round the clock in seamless, coordinated, goal-oriented actions that include tracking and arresting of drug traffickers, interdiction of illicit substance shipments and fast-track prosecution of offenders.
War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) is an advocacy campaign launched on 26th June 2021 by President Muhammadu Buhari to create awareness that will suffuse society with anti-drug culture. It entails setting up coordinated anti-drug committees at States, LGAs and communities across the federation.
To become the most proactive and leading Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Africa and one of the best in the world and contribute to the creation and maintenance of a positive image for Nigeria.
To deploy all resources at our disposal for the total eradication of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, by cutting off the supply of illicit drugs and bringing suppliers to book, reducing the demand for illicit drugs and other substances of abuse and tracing and recovering drug-related proceeds, through effective drug law enforcement.
Integrity, Dedication, Respect, Team Spirit, Transparency, Professionalism, Zero Tolerance to Corruption