African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the destruction of cannabis plantations by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, arguing that Nigeria is destroying an economic opportunity it could instead regulate and exploit.
Sowore’s criticism followed the destruction of two cannabis plantations in Edo State by operatives of the NDLEA, with the agency estimating their combined yield at more than 4.6 tonnes.
Reacting in a post on his verified X account on Tuesday, Sowore questioned the continued destruction of cannabis farms, insisting that the government should replace what he described as a failed prohibition strategy with a regulated cannabis industry.
“It is idiotic @ndlea_nigeria 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,” Sowore said.
He argued that Nigeria could derive greater economic value from cannabis by legalising and regulating its cultivation, rather than destroying farms and forfeiting potential revenue.
“Stop destroying cannabis farms. Stop wasting enormous economic opportunities in the name of a failed and outdated policy,” he said.
Sowore further called for government-backed research into the plant’s medicinal and industrial applications, alongside a regulatory framework that would control its cultivation and legitimate use.
“Legalise 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,” he said.
“You cannot burn your way out of poverty, foolish people,” he added.
His comments came after the Edo State Command of the NDLEA announced the destruction of two cannabis plantations and the arrest of 10 suspected drug traffickers in separate operations across the state.
The state commander of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the operations were conducted following credible intelligence as part of efforts to identify and dismantle locations used for the cultivation and distribution of illicit drugs.
According to Ofoyeju, operatives discovered the first plantation at Ugboku, Igbanke Forest, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
The farm covered 0.699792 hectares and had an estimated yield of 1,749.26 kilogrammes of cannabis. A 40-year-old suspect, Agholor Elebojie, was arrested in connection with the plantation.
The second plantation covered 1.151889 hectares and was estimated to contain 2,879.7225 kilogrammes of cannabis.
The NDLEA commander added that operatives recovered two bags containing processed cannabis sativa weighing 12.4 kilogrammes from the second location.
Ofoyeju said the operations were carried out in accordance with the directive of the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), to intensify efforts to dismantle illicit drug cultivation sites nationwide.
While the NDLEA maintains that destroying cannabis plantations is necessary to disrupt the illegal drug trade, Sowore’s intervention has reopened the wider debate over Nigeria’s cannabis policy, particularly whether prohibition should remain the central approach or be replaced with legal cultivation, taxation and strict regulation for approved medical and industrial purposes.
