The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has called for strong national backing and sustained stakeholder support for its newly launched alternative development programme aimed at ending illicit cannabis cultivation, improving rural livelihoods, and strengthening national security.
The call was made by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), during a press briefing in Abuja. His remarks were conveyed in a statement issued by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.
Marwa said the initiative, described as the first of its kind in Africa, was recently launched as a pilot scheme in three cannabis-growing communities— Ilu Abo, Ifon and Eleyewo—in Ondo State.
According to him, the programme is designed to address illicit drug cultivation by replacing it with sustainable agricultural and economic opportunities for affected communities.
He explained that the alternative development strategy goes beyond crop substitution, noting that its broader benefits include strengthening rural economies through value-chain development, reducing pressure on law enforcement and the justice system, promoting peace and social cohesion in crime-prone areas, supporting national food production and agricultural diversification, and improving Nigeria’s global standing in drug control and development cooperation.
Marwa described the initiative as a win-win solution for communities, government and national security, adding that the successful rollout of the pilot scheme demonstrated the effectiveness of community engagement and empowerment.
He called for collective action from all stakeholders, including federal, state and local governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, development partners, donor agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations and the media.
The NDLEA chairman also urged communities affected by illicit drug cultivation to embrace the programme and collaborate with the Agency, stressing that the initiative is a people-centred development intervention aimed at uplifting communities and securing Nigeria’s future.
Marwa assured that the NDLEA remains committed to expanding the programme nationwide in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
He said host communities and traditional institutions in Ondo State had welcomed the pilot project, describing it as a lawful and dignified source of income for farmers, a tool for poverty reduction, improved food security and enhanced community safety.
Marwa noted that the programme tackles the root causes of drug production rather than merely addressing its symptoms.
Highlighting the urgency of the intervention, he cited drug-use statistics showing that millions of Nigerians consume psychoactive substances, with cannabis accounting for the largest share of both usage and illicit cultivation. He added that thousands of hectares of land in high-risk areas are currently under illegal cannabis cultivation, often controlled by organised networks involved in cross-border trafficking.
He further warned of the social, public health and security risks associated with cannabis, noting that the majority of illicit drugs seized by the NDLEA in recent years were cannabis-related.
Marwa expressed confidence that the alternative development programme would reverse the trend if sustained support is provided. He also commended local and international partners backing the initiative, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, agricultural research institutions, development organisations, the Ondo State Government and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
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