National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has promised to run drug barons and traffickers out of business by identifying and seizing the funds and assets linked to them.

Its Chairman/Chief Executive, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa, says the vigour with which the agency is targeting drug cartels had led to the seizure of illicit substances.

According to him, this led to the seizure of cash valued at over ninety billion naira within four months.

He spoke in Abuja while presenting commendation letters to fourty-five outstanding officers and men and best performing commands for March and April.

Marwa said: “We are breaking these new grounds because of our collective resolve and our rededication to service. Were it not for you, the achievements of the past four months wouldn’t have been possible. We wouldn’t have been able to arrest 2,175 drug traffickers, neither would the seizure of 2,050,766.33 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs have been possible if you had chosen to do just the minimal work across your various commands.

“If our approach had been one of business as usual, we would not have been able to seize drugs and cash valued at over N90 billion in just four months.

“Think of what a fraction of that could have done to the various criminalities in Nigeria. The filing of about 2,100 drug cases in court with over 500 convictions was made possible by the collective efforts of our officers and men who decided to go the extra mile.

“Today, it is part of our records and collective credits that we are not only breaking down the high walls shielding drug cartels but also reining in drug barons.

“So, every one of you, our officers and men spread across the country, made the achievements possible. I want to assure you that the agency will not rest on its oars. Our offensive action will not stop until our streets, communities, towns and cities have been cleaned up of any remnant of illicit drugs.

“While we keep up the offensive in the field, the leadership of the agency will daily continue to work out effective strategies and tactics to sustain the momentum.

“That is why we have strengthened our Directorate of Assets and Financial Investigations to go after all assets or funds linked to drug trafficking, which has led to interim and final forfeiture orders on assets and funds worth billions of naira linked to drug traffickers and barons.

“Of significant interest is our current investigation of a N30 billion slush fund believed to be proceeds of drugs.