NDLEA SEIZES 2.55 MILLION KG OF ILLICIT DRUGS WORTH OVER N3TN AT SEAPORTS IN FIVE YEARS
Read Time:2 Minute, 28 Second
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has confiscated 2,553,132.90 kilogrammes of illicit drugs at Nigerian seaports between 2021 and 2025, with the seizures valued at over N3 trillion.
Latest NDLEA statistics show that the seizures, recorded across major seaports and marine commands nationwide, underscore the scale of drug trafficking through Nigeria’s maritime gateways and the intensity of enforcement efforts over the five-year period.
Data indicates that 96,690.90kg of illicit drugs were intercepted in 2021. The figure dropped to 20,296.70kg in 2022 before rising to 86,169.54kg in 2023. Seizures then surged dramatically to an all-time high of 1,745,422.75kg in 2024, before moderating to 605,553.01kg in 2025.
A port-by-port breakdown shows that Apapa Port recorded seizures of 33,540kg in 2021; 17,759.74kg in 2022; 85,491.59kg in 2023; 54,116.17kg in 2024; and 153,028.19kg in 2025.
At Tin Can Island Port, seizures moved from 22,725.60kg in 2021 to 1,881.80kg in 2022 and 654.40kg in 2023, before spiking to 454,586.54kg in 2024 and 30,815.21kg in 2025.
The Port Harcourt Seaport Command recorded 40,425.30kg in 2021 and 143.83kg in 2022, dropping to 23.55kg in 2023 before a sharp rise to 1,227,595.42kg in 2024 and 410,553.61kg in 2025.
Marine operations also intensified, with the Marine Command intercepting 9,121.49kg in 2024 and 11,156kg in 2025, reflecting expanded surveillance of coastal and inland waterways.
Commenting on the figures, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, described the seizures as evidence of sustained, intelligence-led interdiction operations across the nation’s seaports.
Babafemi said the agency has strengthened intelligence gathering, risk profiling, container tracking, and collaboration with other security agencies to dismantle maritime drug trafficking routes. He noted that traffickers increasingly exploit containerised cargo and vessel movements for bulk shipments, but stressed that enforcement efforts have significantly increased the cost and risk for drug syndicates operating through Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Further checks indicate that the 2.55 million kilogrammes seized translate to street values running into trillions of naira. NDLEA valuation benchmarks estimate that one kilogramme of cocaine sells for between N800 million and N1 billion, while methamphetamine ranges between N400 million and N600 million per kilogramme. Although cannabis, tramadol, codeine, and other controlled opioids command lower unit prices, their high volumes significantly drive up cumulative value.
Based on conservative estimates, the total seizures represent one of the heaviest financial blows inflicted on drug trafficking networks operating in and through Nigeria.
Babafemi added that the spike in 2024 and sustained high interceptions in 2025 suggest traffickers are being forced into riskier operations amid tighter port controls and improved intelligence coordination. He reaffirmed that Nigeria’s seaports would remain hostile territory for drug traffickers, regardless of the sophistication or value of their operations.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0