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The NDLEA Plateau drug seizure reached 9.4 tonnes of illicit substances in one year, the state command says, in a sweeping crackdown on trafficking.
The Gist
- NDLEA Plateau seizes 9.4 tonnes of drugs
- 1,587 suspects arrested in one year
- 71 traffickers convicted
State Commander Anthony Tala Gotar gave the figures at a briefing in Jos. The update marked the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Inside the NDLEA Plateau drug seizure
The command recorded the haul between July 2025 and June 2026. In exact terms, officers seized about 9,488 kilogrammes of drugs over the period.
The agency arrested 1,587 suspects during the same window. Of those cases, 71 ended in convictions, with more still before the courts.
Gotar said intelligence and sustained patrols drove the results. He described the seizures as a heavy blow to dealers operating in the state.
Weapons recovered too
The operations turned up more than drugs. Officers recovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition, locally made pistols and pump-action guns.
Four suspects linked to the weapons were handed to other security agencies. The find points to an overlap between the drug trade and wider insecurity.
Why Plateau is a focus
Plateau has faced bouts of violence and communal tension in recent years. Officials say drug abuse can fuel crime and make volatile situations worse.
By cutting supply, the command hopes to reduce the pool of substances feeding addiction and unrest. The state sits along routes that traffickers try to exploit.
Prevention and the road ahead
The agency has paired enforcement with awareness campaigns in schools and communities. Officials argue that reducing demand is just as vital as seizing supply.
Gotar urged residents to report suspicious activity and to support users seeking treatment. Recovery, he said, is part of winning the wider battle.
From seizures to communities
Behind the tonnage are families and neighbourhoods affected by addiction. The command says cutting supply is meant to protect the most vulnerable, especially the young.
Officials link drug abuse to a share of violent crime and road accidents in the state. Removing substances from circulation, they argue, makes communities safer overall.
The recovery of weapons alongside drugs has deepened those concerns. It suggests, officers say, that some trafficking networks are armed and dangerous.
Treatment and counselling now sit beside arrests in the command’s strategy. Officials say users who seek help are treated as patients, not just suspects.
Community leaders have been urged to spot the early signs of abuse. Schools, in particular, are being asked to flag at-risk pupils before harm sets in.
Gotar said the year’s figures should reassure residents that the agency is active. He promised the command would keep the pressure on through the months ahead.
Eyes on the trafficking routes
Plateau’s position in central Nigeria places it along corridors traffickers try to exploit. Officers say monitoring those routes is a constant, resource-heavy task.
The command has called for more equipment and personnel to sustain the gains. Drug networks, officials warn, adapt quickly when pressure eases.
Residents have been urged to treat the fight as a shared responsibility. Tip-offs, the agency says, often make the difference between a missed and a successful operation.
With 9.4 tonnes off the streets, the command is presenting the year as proof of progress. The NDLEA Plateau drug seizure, officials say, sends a clear warning to traffickers.
Source: NDLEA
