Nigerians struggling with drug dependence can now get round-the-clock support, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says, urging anyone affected to call its free 24-hour helpline rather than suffer in silence. The agency stressed that recovery is possible when people reach out early and get the right help.
NDLEA opens its lines for drug dependence support
The Secretary of the NDLEA, Shadrach Haruna, made the appeal in Abuja on Monday as the agency marked the 2026 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, observed worldwide on June 26. He said no Nigerian should feel they have nowhere to turn, and he encouraged families and friends to help loved ones take the first step toward treatment.
Haruna said the campaign this year is about more than arrests and seizures. He framed addiction as a health challenge that responds to counselling, treatment and patient support, telling Nigerians that people who use drugs are not beyond help and can rebuild their lives with the right intervention.
How the 24-hour helpline works
The toll-free line, 0800-1020-3040, also known as the 247-Network, connects callers to trained responders at any hour of the day. According to the agency, social psychologists assess each case, offer immediate counselling and then refer callers to the nearest accredited rehabilitation centre for proper treatment and follow-up care.
The service is designed to remove the practical barriers that often stop people from asking for help. NDLEA says support is available in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo, so a caller can explain their situation in whatever language they speak most comfortably. The line is free, and relatives can call on behalf of someone who is not yet ready to speak for themselves.
Why the appeal matters
Stigma remains one of the biggest obstacles to recovery in Nigeria. Many families hide a relative’s drug use for fear of shame or arrest, and that silence can delay treatment until a crisis hits. By promoting a confidential, judgement-free line, the NDLEA is trying to reach people who would never walk into an office to ask for help.
The helpline push is part of a wider week of activities the NDLEA is running with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to mark World Drug Day. Those activities combine public awareness, prevention messaging in schools and communities, and renewed enforcement against trafficking networks, alongside the treatment-focused outreach.
Treatment alongside enforcement
The agency says it is widening its rehabilitation footprint and working with faith-based organisations, whose reach into families and communities makes them useful partners in prevention and recovery. Churches, mosques and community groups are increasingly being drawn into counselling referrals and after-care, the agency added.
Health professionals have long argued that punishment alone does little to curb drug dependence, and that sustained treatment, counselling and community support give people the best chance of staying clean. The NDLEA’s emphasis on a confidential helpline reflects that thinking, positioning the agency as a first point of contact for care rather than only a law-enforcement body. Officials say the goal is to catch problems early, before dependence deepens into a medical emergency or pushes a vulnerable person toward crime.
For now, the message from the NDLEA is simple and direct: drug dependence is treatable, help is one phone call away, and the earlier a person reaches out, the better their chances of a full recovery. The agency urged anyone affected, or their loved ones, to save the number and use it.
