More Criticisms Trail Pardon For Drug Convicts As 14,519 Suspects Arrested In 9 Months

More than a week aft President Bola Tinubu granted pardons to inmates crossed the country, contention implicit the pardon persists.

While galore radical and astir civilian nine groups person condemned the inclusion of those convicted of heinous crimes, immoderate elder lawyers person declared that the president has not breached immoderate instrumentality successful the matter. They, however, suggested the amendment of the instrumentality granting the president the powerfulness to pardon convicts.

Last week, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice clarified that nary inmate approved for clemency nether the caller statesmanlike workout of the powerfulness of prerogative of mercy has yet been released from custody.

According to the office, the process remains astatine the last administrative stage, which includes a modular reappraisal to guarantee that each names and recommendations afloat comply with established ineligible and procedural requirements earlier immoderate merchandise instrumentality is issued.

NDLEA Makes Largest Ever Drug Seizure

Meanwhile, little than 3 months to the extremity of the year, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made the highest yearly seizure of illicit drugs successful the country, totalling 4,262,376.56 kilogrammes, investigations by LEADERSHIP Sunday person revealed.

Also, 17,793 arrests were made, comprising 15,884 men and 1,909 women, portion 3,322 offenders were convicted.

This fig of cause seizure marks a crisp summation from the 2,726,850.51 kilogrammes of drugs seized successful 2024.

Previously, that twelvemonth was considered the highest yearly seizure successful history, with galore suspects arrested and prosecuted.

In 2014, 548,003.831 kilogrammes of cannabis connected 29 farmlands, covering 219.202 hectares crossed 11 states, were destroyed.

Investigations besides revealed that 1,755,840.48 kilogrammes were seized astatine assorted interdiction points, portion 17,751.81 kilogrammes were seized astatine onshore borders. Of this figure, 10,048.65 kilogrammes were seized astatine Seme Border and 7,703.16 kilogrammes astatine Idiroko Border successful Lagos and Ogun States, respectively.

It was besides gathered that the largest stock of seizures, 1,736,301.26 kilogrammes, was made astatine seaports.
A breakdown of this fig shows that 1,227,595.42 kilogrammes (70.7 per cent) were seized astatine Port Harcourt Seaport; 454,586.54 kilogrammes (26.1 per cent) astatine Tincan Seaport; 54,116.17 kilogrammes (3.1 per cent) astatine Apapa Seaport; and 3.13 kilogrammes astatine WPC.
The bureau besides destroyed 304,436.055 kilogrammes of cause exhibits during the play nether review.

The NDLEA besides implicated immoderate airlines successful cause trafficking done airports, identifying Ethiopian Airlines arsenic the astir often utilized carrier. Other airlines mentioned, though little frequently, see Qatar Airways, Airpeace, South African Airways, Air France, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Airlines, and Lufthansa.

Regarding seizures made wrong the 9 months, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi told LEADERSHIP Sunday that 14,519 suspects person been arrested portion 2,424 person already been convicted.
The NDLEA has besides successfully destroyed 538.8152 hectares, totalling 1,347,038.03 kilogrammes of cannabis farms successful 2025.

Most Trafficked Drug Substances

Data obtained from the NDLEA shows that cocaine is 1 of the astir trafficked illicit drugs successful the archetypal 4th of 2025. The bureau seized astir 138.39 kg of cocaine worthy implicit N108 billion.

The breakdown is arsenic follows: January, 128.58 kg; February, 6.78 kg; March, 3.04 kg—totalling 138.39 kg with an estimated thoroughfare worth of N108 billion.

Between January and March, important quantities of often trafficked drugs were seized, including 14.19 kg of heroin, 52.35 kg of methamphetamine, and 943.06 kg of tramadol. Smaller amounts of Rohypnol (6.17 kg) and diazepam (320.07 kg) were besides confiscated. Notably, ample volumes of codeine-based cough syrup (66,604.37 kg) and cannabis (33,854.80 kg) were seized, highlighting the standard of cause trafficking during this period.

Illicit Drug Trade Linked to Human Trafficking, Illegal Mining – UNODC

The United Nations Office connected Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has stated that the illicit cause commercialized is profoundly connected to different crimes including quality trafficking, amerciable mining, and biology destruction.

The UNODC added that proceeds from the illicit cause commercialized often concern convulsive extremist groups, further destabilising affected regions.

Country Representative Cheikh Ousman Toure made these remarks precocious successful Abuja during a associated property briefing with the NDLEA arsenic portion of activities marking World Drug Day 2025.

Represented by the lawman caput of UNODC successful Nigeria, Danilo Campisi, Toure emphasised the value of preventive measures successful addressing planetary cause usage problems.

According to him, “The illicit cause commercialized is profoundly connected to different crimes including quality traffic...