NDLEA reports 53,800 drug users rehabilitated over five years, calls for stronger mental health investment

NDLEA reports 53,800 drug users rehabilitated over five years, calls for stronger mental health investment

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced that more than 53,800 individuals have passed through its 31 rehabilitation facilities in Nigeria during the last five years. The figure was revealed by the agency’s chairman, Brig‑Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retired), at the fifth edition of The Conversation Conference (TCC 5.0), organised by the Intersect Consortium to mark World Mental Health Month.

Linking substance abuse to mental health

Marwa highlighted the strong connection between drug use and untreated mental‑health conditions such as depression, trauma and other psychological challenges. He warned that addressing only the symptoms of addiction would fail to tackle the root causes that drive young people toward substance abuse.

Calls for increased funding and workforce

The chairman urged the federal government to prioritise mental‑health financing, personnel and community‑led interventions. He stressed the need for more psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and community health workers, and for integrating mental‑health services into primary‑care settings to improve access.

Prevention and support initiatives

NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign aims to educate students in schools, tertiary institutions and local communities before they become involved in drug use. The agency also operates a 24‑hour toll‑free helpline that offers free support to distressed individuals and families.

Community‑based livelihood programmes

In three pilot communities across different states, NDLEA has introduced livelihood projects that help families previously dependent on illicit drug cultivation to earn legitimate incomes. The agency plans to expand these initiatives to other geopolitical zones, arguing that sustainable livelihoods can reduce poverty, ease stress and strengthen families.

Media coverage and national planning

Marwa lamented that media attention tends to focus on arrests, seizures and forfeited assets, rather than on counselling and rehabilitation. He called for a shift in reporting to highlight the agency’s recovery work and for mental‑health financing to be central to national planning.

The agency’s statistics underscore the scale of its rehabilitation work, but also point to the need for a more comprehensive approach that addresses the mental‑health drivers of drug abuse.