By Bolanle Mojeed
A fresh debate over the legal status of cannabis in Nigeria has pitted African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with the agency insisting that the country is not yet ready to legalise the cultivation and use of cannabis.
The disagreement followed the destruction of two cannabis plantations in Edo State by the NDLEA, reportedly with an estimated yield of 4,628.9 kilogrammes. The operation prompted a strong reaction from Sowore, who condemned the destruction of what he described as economically viable crops at a time when Nigeria is grappling with widespread poverty and unemployment.
Sowore argued that destroying cannabis farms amounted to wasting a potentially valuable economic resource, urging the Federal Government to abandon what he described as a failed and outdated approach to cannabis control.
According to him, Nigeria should consider legalising and properly regulating cannabis, while investing in research to harness its legitimate medicinal and industrial applications. He argued that such a policy could create employment, generate government revenue and establish a new industry capable of contributing to economic development.
Sowore maintained that Nigeria could not address poverty by destroying crops with potential commercial value, declaring that the country “cannot burn its way out of poverty.” He called instead for a shift towards research, regulation and the development of a legitimate cannabis industry.
The NDLEA, however, has rejected the argument, insisting that the destruction of illicit cannabis plantations is part of its statutory responsibility under Nigerian law.
Responding to Sowore, the NDLEA Commander in Ogun State, CN Tijjani Rabe, said the agency did not destroy cannabis farms arbitrarily or for the sake of destroying economically valuable crops. Rather, he said, its actions were based on the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which criminalise the illicit cultivation, production and trafficking of controlled substances.
Rabe also took exception to the tone of Sowore’s criticism, arguing that national leadership should not be built around insults directed at institutions and personnel performing their statutory duties.
He said the NDLEA’s responsibilities go beyond the seizure and destruction of illicit drugs, noting that the agency also works to prevent drug abuse, rehabilitate affected Nigerians and dismantle criminal networks involved in drug trafficking.
According to him, over the past five years, the agency has made significant drug seizures, preventing large quantities of illicit substances from reaching communities, schools, barracks and motor parks. He added that thousands of Nigerians affected by drug abuse had received counselling and rehabilitation, while transnational trafficking networks had also been targeted.
Rabe further linked the illicit drug trade to broader security challenges,saying some drug-trafficking networks were allegedly connected to kidnapping, banditry and arms trafficking. He therefore cautioned against treating cannabis solely as an economic commodity without considering its potential implications for public health and national security.
On the question of legalisation, the Ogun NDLEA commander argued that Nigeria lacks some of the regulatory infrastructure required to safely manage a legal cannabis industry.
He said legalisation without adequate safeguards, including effective tracking systems, prescription monitoring, properly equipped laboratories and sufficient rehabilitation centres, could expand rather than eliminate the black market.
Rabe also warned that some cannabis plantations described as “economically viable farms” are allegedly controlled by armed networks involved in trafficking and violence. In his view, granting immediate legal status to the cannabis industry could inadvertently provide legitimacy to criminal networks that currently profit from its illegal cultivation and distribution.
The NDLEA position therefore differs fundamentally from Sowore’s proposed approach. While Sowore sees cannabis regulation as a potential avenue for economic diversification, job creation, medical research and government revenue, the agency maintains that legalisation without adequate institutional capacity could create additional challenges for a country already dealing with drug abuse and insecurity.
Rabe nevertheless indicated that the agency was not opposed to legitimate research into the potential uses of cannabis. He called for greater investment in medical research and alternative development programmes that could provide lawful and sustainable livelihoods for farmers who might otherwise participate in illicit cultivation.
“If the goal is to build an industry, then let us start by funding the labs, the rehab centres, and the cooperatives that will make it safe and sustainable,” he said.
The exchange highlights a broader policy question facing Nigeria: whether the country should continue with strict prohibition and eradication of illicit cannabis cultivation or begin developing a regulated framework for its medicinal and industrial uses.
For now, the NDLEA maintains that existing laws must be enforced until any change is made through the democratic and legislative process. Rabe said those seeking a different cannabis policy should pursue legal reform by sponsoring legislation rather than attacking law-enforcement officers carrying out their mandate.
He maintained that until the necessary regulatory, medical and institutional safeguards are in place, the NDLEA would continue to intercept illicit drugs and destroy illegal cannabis plantations.
The controversy has consequently brought economic opportunity, public health, criminality and national security into the centre of Nigeria’s cannabis debate, with Sowore advocating a regulated industry and the NDLEA insisting that legalisation must await stronger institutions and safeguards.
Omoyele Sowore, in a recent Facebook post, had criticised the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over its policy – destruction of cannabis farms, describing the agency’s approach as misguided and economically counterproductive. He wrote:
“It is idiotic NDLEA to 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.
Stop destroying cannabis farms. Stop wasting enormous economic opportunities in the name of a failed and outdated policy.
Legalize and properly regulate cannabis. Invest in research, harness its legitimate medicinal and industrial potential, create jobs, generate revenue, and build an industry Nigerians can benefit from.
You cannot burn your way out of poverty, foolish people.”
Few countries allow commercial recreational sales, while others permit only limited possession, home cultivation or non-profit cannabis clubs.
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