The National Assembly Joint Committee on Drugs and Narcotics has raised serious concerns over the zero capital release to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in 2025, warning that the agency’s ability to combat rising drug abuse nationwide is at risk without urgent financial intervention.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and co-chaired by Hon. Abass Agboworin Adigun, reviewed the NDLEA’s 2026 budget proposal and its 2025 performance following a briefing by the agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna.
Speaking after a closed-door session, Hon. Adigun highlighted the critical role of the NDLEA in Nigeria’s security architecture. “This agency ought to be among the top five institutions that receive serious national attention, yet it is not being prioritised,” he said. “At least 50 per cent of the insecurity in our country is linked to drug abuse. If we fail to act decisively now, the crisis could spiral out of control in the next decade.”
Lawmakers lamented the rejection of a bill proposing that 2 per cent of the cost of collection from revenue-generating agencies be allocated to the NDLEA, a mechanism aimed at ensuring sustainable funding similar to the Police Trust Fund.
Senator Baba Njide Husseini cited a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report showing that 14.4 per cent of Nigerians are affected by drug abuse nearly three times the global average. “Drug abuse has filtered down into families. Women and children are increasingly involved. Most violent crimes today have links to substance abuse,” he warned.
The committee also expressed concern over the poor state of NDLEA infrastructure nationwide and sought clarity on the agency’s collaboration with regulatory bodies such as the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria to curb the abuse of prescription drugs, including tramadol and benzodiazepines.
NDLEA Secretary Shadrach Haruna acknowledged the funding challenges but highlighted notable achievements despite the constraints. “Within the review period, drugs valued at approximately N550 billion were seized, and 640 hectares of illicit cannabis farms were destroyed,” he said. Haruna also noted ongoing collaboration with international partners, including the U.S. DEA, to strengthen covert operations and financial intelligence investigations.
On the rejected 2 per cent cost-of-collection proposal, Haruna explained that the President’s decision was anchored on existing provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act but appealed to lawmakers to explore alternative funding mechanisms to ensure the agency’s sustainability. He underscored the strong link between drug trafficking and violent crimes such as banditry and terrorism.
The committee is expected to continue deliberations on sustainable funding frameworks in subsequent sessions, as lawmakers intensify pressure on the Federal Government to prioritise the fight against drug abuse, which they described as a “ticking time bomb” threatening Nigeria’s future.
