Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, has called for a review of sentencing guidelines to compel convicted drug offenders to engage in community service.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the commissioning of 46 operational vehicles for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Fagbemi said such measures could deter others from engaging in illicit drug activities.
“Those who are convicted of a criminal offence involving an illicit drug usage and sentenced to hard labour should be taken to their local government or village to do this hard work. It may be another point that we should consider very seriously, and maybe this will deter them,” he said.
“When you see somebody who has been dealing in illegal drugs and you ask him to pick papers or wash toilets, that may also be a deterrent.”
Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, described the procurement of the vehicles as “symbolic and historic”, adding that it is the first time in the agency’s 35-year history that official cars have been provided for commanders.
The new fleet, 36 Mecanno SUVs and 10 Mecanno executive sedans, will be deployed to directors, zonal commanders, and state commanders across the country.
Marwa linked drug abuse to Nigeria’s security challenges, stating that kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism, insurgency, and cult violence are “all fuelled by illicit substances”.
He said between January 2024 and June 2025, the agency seized over 1 billion pills of Tramadol, 14.4 million bottles of codeine, 5.5 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs, destroyed 700 hectares of cannabis farms, and arrested 40,887 offenders.
“Every ground seized, every suspect arrested, every drug user rehabilitated contributes to building a safer and healthier Nigeria,” he said.
Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff, praised the NDLEA’s transformation “from a dormant to a frontline organisation”, noting that the armed forces would continue collaborating in the fight against narcotics.
“All these bandits, terrorists, insurgents cannot operate without taking illegal drugs, and your ability to curtail and reduce this has assisted us in improving security,” he said.
Adebowale Adedokun, director-general of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), commended the agency for its “transparency” in acquiring the vehicles.
“NDLEA, for me, is an example for other agencies of government. We can testify to you that these vehicles have gone through standardisation and they are fit for purpose,” he said.
