The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ogun State has responded sharply to criticism from presidential candidate and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, who accused the agency of destroying cannabis farms that he claims are economically viable. Commander CN Tijjani Rabe, head of NDLEA in Ogun, defended the agency’s operations, stating that leadership should not be built on insults against institutions that daily sacrifice for national security. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Rabe emphasized that NDLEA acts under clear legal mandates and has made significant seizures of illicit drugs over the past five years, preventing tons of narcotics from entering homes, schools, barracks, and public transport hubs.
Sowore had taken to X on Tuesday to criticize the agency, calling its actions “idiotic” and urging the government to legalize and regulate cannabis cultivation. He argued that the plant has substantial medicinal and industrial potential and that destroying farms is wasting economic opportunities while Nigeria battles multidimensional poverty. His post read: “It is idiotic @ndlea_nigeria wake up, put on uniforms, march into farms, and set economically viable crops worth millions of dollars ablaze while your country is drowning in multidimensional poverty.” He added, “Stop destroying cannabis farms. Stop wasting enormous economic opportunities in the name of a failed and outdated policy.”
Rabe countered that NDLEA does not act arbitrarily but follows laws enacted by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He stressed that the agency has not only seized large quantities of drugs but also rehabilitated thousands of young Nigerians and dismantled transnational cartels involved in kidnapping, banditry, and arms trafficking—crimes often funded by drug proceeds. He pointed out that if Sowore disagrees with current laws, the democratic way forward is to sponsor legislation to change them, not to publicly denigrate law enforcement agencies.
The commander warned that legalization without strong regulatory frameworks, including tracking systems, prescription monitoring, laboratories, and rehabilitation centers, would expand the black market. He cited Canada as an example, noting that even years after legalization, the country still grapples with a thriving illicit drug trade. Rabe further stated that many of the cannabis farms targeted by NDLEA are controlled by armed networks linked to violence and trafficking. “To legalize now is to hand legitimacy to those same networks. You do not defeat poverty by empowering cartels,” he said.
He called for the government to first invest in infrastructure such as laboratories, rehabilitation centers, and cooperatives before considering any form of legalization. “Until that foundation exists, NDLEA will continue to do what the law demands of us: interdict, destroy, and save lives. That is not ‘idiotic’, Sir. That is duty,” Rabe concluded. While the agency would excuse the tone of Sowore’s remarks, it remains grateful to the millions of Nigerians who support its mission. The debate over cannabis regulation continues to spark national conversation, with both sides emphasizing the need for balanced, evidence-based policies that protect public health and economic development.
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