NDLEA warns against fake ‘medicinal cannabis,’ arrests Lagos kingpin

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised alarm over the circulation of dangerous illicit drugs falsely packaged and sold as medicinal cannabis across the country.

Spokesman for the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the warning followed credible intelligence that led to the arrest of a 28-year-old suspected drug dealer, Afeez Salisu, also known as Malu, in Lagos.

According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives stormed Salisu’s base at 2 Akala Street, off Umoru Street, Idi Oro, Mushin, where he was allegedly packaging and distributing fake medicinal cannabis disguised in designer pouches and cups.

A total of 16.4 kilograms of synthetic cannabis strains — including Colorado, Arizona, Canadian Loud, and Ghana Loud — were recovered from his store.

Babafemi warned that the products being marketed as therapeutic cannabis were, in fact, highly potent and dangerous substances, not approved pharmaceutical products.

“These so-called medicinal products contain dangerously high concentrations of illicit cannabis strains known for severe psychological effects such as psychosis, paranoia, and long-term cognitive damage,” he said.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), condemned the criminal act, saying drug traffickers were exploiting global conversations around medical cannabis to push illegal products into Nigerian communities.

“Cannabis remains a prohibited substance in Nigeria. Any product being sold as ‘medicinal cannabis’ in the country is fake, dangerous, and illegal,” Marwa stated.

He urged Nigerians, especially the youth, to remain vigilant and report anyone involved in the sale or distribution of such drugs to the nearest NDLEA office.