The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in partnership with a civil society organisation, the Eagle Crime Awareness and Prevention Initiative (ECAPI), has pledged to step up the confiscation of assets connected to drug trafficking and buildings used as safe havens for drug dealers across Lagos State.
The commitment was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by ECAPI’s founder and president, Sam Adams.
According to Adams, the resolve was reached during a large-scale anti-drug awareness campaign held on Saturday and jointly organised by the Lagos State Strategic Command of the NDLEA and ECAPI. The campaign involved taking drug abuse sensitisation directly to communities identified as drug hotspots across the state.
He warned that drug abuse continues to devastate lives, damage public health, destroy aspirations and weaken the economy, stressing that authorities would no longer tolerate properties being used for illegal drug activities.
Adams cautioned landlords who knowingly allow their premises to be used for drug sales that such properties risk being seized by the government.
The advocacy walk began in Maryland and moved through Mushin, Oshodi, Ojuelegba, Costain and Lagos Island, with NDLEA officers and ECAPI volunteers engaging residents, youths and suspected drug users in various local languages.
He further revealed plans to extend the advocacy campaign to all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, adding that ECAPI would continue working closely with law enforcement agencies to sustain the anti-drug momentum nationwide.
Adams described ECAPI’s collaboration with the NDLEA as effective, noting that similar partnerships exist with other security and anti-corruption agencies.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State NDLEA Commander, Abubakar Wali, said the agency is strengthening its operations by prioritising the recovery of assets and proceeds linked to drug-related crimes.
He emphasised that properties used to shelter drug dealers would no longer be overlooked, describing asset forfeiture as a strong deterrent against illicit drug activities.
Wali explained that beyond arrests and prosecutions, the agency is now placing increased focus on prevention, community engagement and public reorientation, describing the street sensitisation exercise as a key strategy in the fight against drugs.
According to him, the NDLEA has already seized cash, hotels, houses and other assets connected to drug trafficking in Lagos, all of which have been forfeited to the government.
He added that the advocacy walk underscored the agency’s determination to confront drug abuse and trafficking directly, noting that drugs continue to ruin families, endanger communities and threaten the future of young people.
Experts have consistently urged members of the public to actively support efforts against drug abuse, stressing that collective action remains vital to eliminating the menace.
