The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has secured formal backing from the Edo State Government and the traditional leadership in Benin City for an alternative livelihood initiative aimed at steering farmers away from illicit cannabis cultivation. Led by agency chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, the outreach seeks to address the economic factors driving drug production by offering growers support to switch to legal farming activities such as the cultivation of cassava, yam, and maize.
The strategic push follows significant enforcement actions in the region, which included the arrest of over 1,200 suspected drug traffickers and the seizure of more than 30 tonnes of illicit substances in Edo State during the previous year. While law enforcement remains a core mandate, agency officials noted that sustained reduction in drug cultivation requires viable economic alternatives that provide farmers with peace of mind and stable legal incomes without the constant fear of criminal prosecution.
During visits to government officials and traditional authorities, Governor Monday Okpebholo pledged his administration's cooperation, highlighting the connection between illicit drug availability and broader security challenges such as kidnapping. The governor was subsequently honored as a War Against Drug Abuse ambassador. Meanwhile, the Oba of Benin expressed support for community-level engagement while indicating plans to share private recommendations for improving enforcement strategies.
The agency's alternative development model, previously piloted in Ondo State, is designed to incorporate community infrastructure support, including roads, schools, and health facilities, in regions that abandon illegal crops. Officials emphasized that addressing the wider drug crisis necessitates a comprehensive approach involving traditional institutions, transport unions, religious organizations, and civil society groups to curb nationwide substance abuse and trafficking.
Source reporting: Arise News — 2026-11-04 19:55:36
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