NDLEA launches alternative development programme to curb illegal cannabis farming by promoting lawful, sustainable livelihoods

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified efforts to curb illicit cannabis cultivation by introducing an alternative development programme aimed at replacing illegal farming with lawful and sustainable livelihoods for rural communities.

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The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Abuja.

Marwa described the initiative as the first of its kind in Africa and called for strong national backing to ensure its success.

He said the pilot phase of the programme was launched last week in three cannabis-growing communities — Ilu Abo, Ifon, and Eleyewo — in Ondo State.

According to him, the strategy goes beyond crop substitution and seeks to address the root causes of illicit drug cultivation.

The alternative development approach, Marwa explained, focuses on strengthening rural economies through agricultural value-chain development, promoting peace and social cohesion in crime-prone areas, supporting food production and diversification, and reducing pressure on law enforcement and the justice system.

“This approach represents a win-win solution for communities, government, and national security,” he said.

Marwa said the successful rollout of the pilot scheme demonstrated that the strategy works when communities are engaged, supported, and empowered.

He called on stakeholders across all levels of government, traditional rulers, development partners, donor agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations, and the media to support the initiative.

The NDLEA chairman urged communities affected by illicit drug cultivation to embrace the programme, describing it as a people-centred development intervention designed to uplift rural populations and strengthen national security.

Marwa disclosed that more than 75 per cent of the 15 million kilograms of illicit drugs seized by the agency over the past five years were cannabis.

He warned that relying solely on enforcement would not resolve the problem.

“Cannabis is the most widely used and readily available illicit drug in Nigeria,” he said.

He cited estimates showing that about 10.6 million Nigerian adults reported using cannabis in the past year, representing more than one in every ten people in their productive years.

Marwa said the widespread use of cannabis poses serious social and public health risks, including long-term health consequences, increased dependency, lost productivity, crime, and added pressure on the healthcare system.

He expressed confidence that the alternative development programme could reverse the trend if given sustained national support.

The NDLEA boss said host communities in Ondo State had welcomed the initiative, describing it as a dignified and lawful means of income that could reduce poverty, improve food security, and enhance community stability.

He added that the agency adopted the strategy after confronting the scale of cannabis cultivation in Nigeria, noting that cannabis remains the most cultivated and seized illicit drug in the country despite sustained enforcement operations.

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Marwa reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to expanding the programme nationwide in collaboration with local and international partners.