The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its renewed war against drug trafficking and cultivation in Ekiti State, arresting three suspects and destroying a staggering 125,750 kilograms of cannabis sativa during a large-scale operation across two local forests.
According to a statement issued in Ado Ekiti by the agency’s State Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, Ifeoluwa Fabiyi, the NDLEA State Commander, Rufus Aina, disclosed that the operation, code-named “Operation Weed Crusher 2025,” was executed between Friday, October 17 and Monday, October 20, 2025, targeting illicit cannabis plantations in Igbara-Odo and Ilawe-Ekiti.
Commander Aina explained that the operation led to the destruction of 72,500kg of fresh cannabis sativa cultivated on 29.7 hectares of farmland in the Igbara-Odo forest and another 53,250kg in the Ilawe forest. Officers also discovered several nursery beds filled with young cannabis plants waiting for transplantation, all of which were destroyed on site.
Additionally, NDLEA operatives recovered 3,456kg of dried cannabis and 84 bags of harvested products—comprising 72 standard bags and 12 jumbo sacks—weighing 2,316kg during the raids.
Aina reaffirmed the command’s resolve to eradicate cannabis cultivation in Ekiti, emphasizing that the operation marked another milestone in the agency’s aggressive anti-drug campaign.
“Operation Weed Crusher 2025 is sending a strong message to criminal elements that Ekiti is no longer safe for drug cultivation or trafficking,” Aina said. “Our mission is to dismantle every link in the cannabis supply chain and restore the integrity of our farmlands for legitimate agriculture.”
He added that the operation’s success was made possible through the coordination of Deputy State Commander Muhammed Yaro and the deployment of 40 hired laborers who assisted in the destruction of the illicit farms.
The NDLEA noted that the increasing conversion of arable land into drug farms poses a significant threat to food security in Nigeria. The agency has therefore intensified its nationwide crackdown to reclaim farmlands for food and cash crop production.
In a related operation earlier this year, NDLEA officers in Edo State destroyed over 18,000kg of cannabis sativa in the Ugbogui Forest of Ovia South-West Local Government Area, further underscoring the agency’s determination to combat illegal drug cultivation.
Aina commended his officers for their resilience and dedication, urging communities across Ekiti to support the NDLEA by providing intelligence on individuals involved in drug-related activities.
“This fight is for the future of our youth and our economy,” he said. “We will continue to go after anyone using our forests for the wrong reasons until we completely eliminate the menace of cannabis cultivation in this region.”
