NDLEA Auctions Forfeited Drug Traffickers’ Properties Across Four States

NDLEA Auctions Forfeited Drug Traffickers’ Properties Across Four States

Abuja, Nigeria – July 29, 2025

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has conducted a public auction of properties forfeited by convicted drug traffickers in Lagos, Kano, Ondo, and Ogun States, as part of its intensified efforts to disrupt criminal drug networks and deny offenders the proceeds of crime.

The auction exercise, held at the NDLEA’s National Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, was attended by pre-qualified auctioneers, bidders, representatives of civil society organizations, the media, and relevant government agencies.

Speaking on behalf of the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), the Agency Secretary, Mr. Shadrack Haruna, emphasized that the forfeiture and auction of drug-linked properties were in line with legal provisions and the agency’s strategic mandate to dismantle drug cartels and neutralize their financial power.

“This exercise is part of our broader commitment to justice and transparency,” Haruna said. “Beyond prosecution, we are determined to deprive drug offenders of their ill-gotten wealth. This sends a clear message — drug trafficking does not pay. When traffickers know they can lose everything, including their properties, it acts as both punishment and deterrent.”

A total of eight properties were up for auction, including assets located in Lekki and Ikorodu (Lagos), Kano, Ondo, and Ogun. However, the two properties in Lagos were stepped down from the auction following the receipt of notices of appeal, halting their sale pending legal resolution.

Of the remaining six properties, only two were successfully sold, earning the agency over ₦139 million after attracting bids above the set reserve prices. The other four properties either received no bids or offers below the benchmark value and were thus not sold.

Mr. Umar Yakubu, of the Centre for Transparency and Integrity Watch, praised the NDLEA for ensuring an open and credible process. He commended the agency’s adherence to global standards in asset disposal and urged that such exercises be amplified as a form of public enlightenment on the consequences of drug-related crimes.

In his remarks, Mr. Jerry Iorwa Aernan, Director of Proceeds of Crime Management at NDLEA, disclosed that all participating auctioneers were pre-qualified by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and passed necessary integrity checks to prevent assets from returning to their former owners through fraudulent means.

He also outlined the payment terms for successful bidders, stating that 10 percent of the bid value must be paid within 14 days to confirm commitment, with full payment expected within a stipulated period.

The auction marks another milestone in NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen drug law enforcement in Nigeria through strategic asset recovery and public accountability.

Femi Babafemi

Director, Media and Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Tuesday, July 29, 2025