NDLEA (Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is Nigeria’s federal agency tasked with combating the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, selling, exporting, and trafficking of illicit drugs. It aims to curb drug abuse and protect Nigeria’s international image.
Founded: Established on December 29, 1989, by Decree No. 48, now an Act of Parliament, the NDLEA was created to address the rising drug trafficking and abuse issues that tarnished Nigeria’s reputation in the 1980s.
Structure: Operating under the Federal Ministry of Justice, the NDLEA is led by a Chairman/Chief Executive Officer. It has 14 directorates, 14 zonal commands, 111 state area commands, and 10 special commands at airports and seaports.
Functions: The NDLEA interdicts and destroys narcotic drugs, arrests traffickers, seizes illicit assets, and collaborates internationally to dismantle drug cartels, enhancing Nigeria’s drug control efforts.
