Struggling With Drug Addiction? NDLEA Says Help Is Available 24 Hours a Day

• 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, saying recovery is possible with the right support.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has called on Nigerians battling drug addiction and substance abuse to seek help through its 24-hour counselling and referral service.

The agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, made the appeal on Monday in Abuja while commemorating the 2026 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

According to Haruna, professional support is available around the clock for individuals struggling with drug use disorders, as well as for families and friends seeking help for loved ones battling addiction.

“The agency’s helpline is 0800-1020-3040, also known as the 247-Network. It was established to ensure timely access to professional assistance for individuals and families affected by drug dependence,” he said.

“If you know anyone who is suffering from drug use disorder, NDLEA is there to support.”

Haruna explained that anyone who calls the helpline will receive an immediate response in their preferred language, including Pidgin English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and formal English.

He added that trained social psychologists are available round the clock to provide counselling and refer callers to treatment and rehabilitation centres closest to them.

According to the NDLEA official, treatment and rehabilitation remain key pillars of the agency’s balanced approach to combating drug abuse, alongside enforcement, prevention and public enlightenment.

Haruna also revealed that the agency has adopted innovative strategies in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, including partnerships with churches and other faith-based organisations.

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

He noted that religious organisations play a critical role through counselling, moral teachings and family-focused interventions, adding that families remain at the centre of social development.

According to him, NDLEA is leveraging the influence of religious institutions to take anti-drug campaigns to grassroots communities and encourage more people to seek treatment.

Haruna reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to expanding access to counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services and called on Nigerians, community leaders and religious organisations to support efforts aimed at reducing drug abuse and helping individuals recover from addiction.

“Recovery is possible with the right support and intervention,” he said.