The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has disclosed that Ondo State is the highest producer of cannabis in Nigeria, attributing this to the state’s favourable climate and soil conditions.
Marwa made the disclosure on Monday during a courtesy visit by the agency’s delegation to Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, at the Governor’s Office in Akure.
He further revealed that about 15 million Nigerians aged between 15 and 64 use hard drugs, a figure he described as nearly three times the global average.
Citing the 2018 United Nations drug use survey, Marwa said one in every seven Nigerians within the age bracket consumes drugs, describing the figure as “unacceptably high.”
According to him, drug use prevalence in Ondo State stands at 17 per cent, translating to roughly 400,000 users, compared with 33 per cent in Lagos State, estimated at about two million users, and 24 per cent in Oyo State.
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Marwa disclosed that in 2025 alone, the NDLEA command in Ondo State made 336 arrests, seized 22,316 kilograms of illicit drugs, and secured 62 convictions.
He added that an additional 207,000 kilograms of cannabis were seized and destroyed from farms and plantations across the state.
The NDLEA boss said the agency’s counselling and rehabilitation centre in the state treated 243 drug users last year, while stressing the need for a multi-pronged approach to drug control.
He also revealed that the NDLEA had commissioned the Nigerian Academy of Science to conduct a scientific study on cannabis-extracted oil for medicinal purposes, noting that any decision on controlled cultivation and export would be strictly evidence-based.
Marwa further disclosed that the agency had established an Alternative Development Unit at its headquarters to support cannabis-growing communities in transitioning from illicit cultivation to legal crops.
According to him, the programme includes community development initiatives such as provision of farm inputs, infrastructure, schools, clinics, and market access to ensure sustainable livelihoods.
He said Ondo State was selected as a pilot location for the initiative following a year-long engagement with cannabis-producing communities.
Marwa commended the Ondo State government for its support, including the establishment of a State Drug Control Committee and plans to extend it to the local government level.
Responding, Governor Aiyedatiwa pledged the full support of his administration for the NDLEA’s Alternative Development Programme in the state.
He welcomed the pilot initiative, noting that while Ondo remains Nigeria’s largest cannabis producer, it is also a major producer of legitimate crops such as cocoa due to its fertile land and favourable climate.
The governor assured the agency of continued support, recalling previous assistance with vehicles and logistics, and emphasised the importance of community engagement, education, and enforcement in addressing drug abuse and illicit cultivation