NDLEA To Nigerians Battling Addiction: Seek Help, Recovery Is Possible

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has urged Nigerians struggling with drug dependence to seek professional help through its 24-hour counselling and referral service, assuring that recovery is possible with the right support.

The Secretary of the agency, Shadrach Haruna, made the appeal in Abuja on Monday during activities marking the 2026 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Haruna said the agency's helpline, 0800-1020-3040, also known as the 247-Network, was established to provide immediate access to counselling, treatment referrals and rehabilitation support for individuals and families affected by drug use disorders.

“We also urge families and friends of persons battling addiction to seek help from NDLEA, stressing that recovery is possible with the right support and intervention,” he said.

According to him, callers can receive assistance in multiple languages, including English, Pidgin English, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.

“If you know anyone who is suffering from drug use disorder, NDLEA is there to support. Anyone who calls the number will receive an instant response in whatever language they speak,” Haruna added.

He explained that trained social psychologists are available round the clock to provide counselling and connect individuals with appropriate treatment and rehabilitation centres closest to them.

Haruna noted that treatment and rehabilitation remain central components of NDLEA’s strategy for combating drug abuse, alongside enforcement, prevention and public awareness campaigns.

He also highlighted the agency’s growing collaboration with faith-based organisations, describing religious institutions as critical partners in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

According to him, churches and other religious bodies play an important role in counselling, moral guidance and family-centred interventions that help prevent substance abuse and support recovery efforts.

“We involve and use a lot of innovative responses and one of those responses is to use faith-based organisations,” he said.

Haruna described families as the foundation of social development and said NDLEA is leveraging the reach of religious organisations to take anti-drug campaigns deeper into communities across the country.

He called on religious leaders, families, community stakeholders and Nigerians generally to support efforts aimed at reducing drug demand, preventing substance abuse and helping affected individuals return to productive lives.

The NDLEA secretary reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to expanding access to treatment and rehabilitation services while strengthening partnerships with faith-based organisations and other stakeholders in the campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.