NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the weekend burn (pictured above) at a remote location near Ipara along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, was “the largest volume of seizures to be set ablaze in the annals of the anti-narcotics agency”.

According to This Day Online, published on 13 April 2025,the burn was the result of raids across three states – Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, and was witnessed by government officials, traditional rulers, clergymen, other security agencies, international partners, NGOs and community leaders..

Apart from the cannabis, other illicit drugs destroyed included:

• 123 kilogrammes of cocaine;

• 46.8 kilogrammes of heroin; 1

• .4 million kilogrammes of cannabis; 1

• 48,000 kilogrammes of codeine syrup;

• 3,244.26 kilogrammes of tramadol; 1

• ,544 kilogrammes of skuchies; and

• 111 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, among others.

Speaking at the occasion, NDLEA, head, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, said the exercise was a testament to the agency's steadfast commitment to tackling the scourge of drug trafficking in the country.

He said: "The sheer volume of seizures, which totals approximately 1.6 million kilogrammes, serves as a reminder of the grave danger these substances pose to public health until they are completely and irreversibly destroyed. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operates under a clear mandate to reduce these narcotics to rubble. At all times, we discharge this duty with the utmost seriousness and diligence."

He warned those involved in drug trafficking that the times have changed and there will be no breathing space or any safe haven for them in Nigeria.

"To those still involved in the illicit drug trade, we will persist in reminding them that times have changed. The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains unwavering in its commitment to providing the leadership and political will required to eradicate this menace. At the NDLEA, we are fully prepared to pursue our objective of holding accountable those who defy the law. In the past four years, we have successfully prosecuted and convicted 10,572 such offenders, who are now serving various jail terms."

He said the rationale for the public burning was simple: “to show transparency and accountability. By making this process open, we affirm our collective resolve against the insidious activities of illicit drug trafficking. This exercise is not merely symbolic--it is forensic, grounded in evidence. Random laboratory tests are carried out to confirm the authenticity of the seized items. The substances are destroyed with the approval of the court after the cases linked to them have been brought to closure, following arrests and successful prosecution."

Nigeria has one of the highest consumption rates of cannabis in the world. Read more about Nigerian cannabis here.

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