Buba Marwa, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has called for strict jail terms without the option of fines for drug traffickers to serve as a stronger deterrent against illicit drug activities.
Marwa made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during the unveiling of the National Minimum Standards on the Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws.
He noted that experience has shown that allowing fines instead of imprisonment has not deterred traffickers, contributing to the rise in substance abuse.
He urged the Chief Judge and Judges of the Federal High Court to always consider strict imprisonment for drug offenders who do not deserve leniency.
Nigeria, he said, has over 10 million cannabis users, a situation he described as very worrisome.
“In the last five years, the agency seized about 15 million kg of assorted illicit substances, 70–75% of which was cannabis.
“This alarming trend has led the NDLEA to engage cannabis growers, particularly in Ondo State, encouraging them to abandon Indian hemp cultivation and focus on legitimate food and cash crops.
“Growing food provides meaningful livelihoods for both farmers and the public, and these efforts have yielded positive responses in the fields.”
Marwa emphasized that hundreds of farmers transitioning from cannabis cultivation would not only gain sustainable, lawful livelihoods but also avoid the fear of arrest and prosecution by the NDLEA.
He thanked the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for their prompt responses to NDLEA issues, as well as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
