Sowore's Cannabis Legalization Push
Sowore Condemns NDLEA Cannabis Farm Destruction, Advocates Legalization for Economic Growth
Key Points
In Edo State, the NDLEA destroyed two cannabis plantations with an estimated total yield of 4,628.9 kilograms and arrested 10 suspected drug traffickers; the first farm covered 0.699792 hectares and yielded 1,749.26 kg, while the second farm spanned 1.151889 hectares and yielded about 2,879.64 kg.
Edo State NDLEA commander Mitchell Ofoyeju said the raids were carried out following credible intelligence, highlighting the operational basis for the seizures.
Cannabis is popularly known as 'wewe' in parts of Nigeria and remains illegal for recreational use, a context that informs the debate over legalization and regulation.
Pro-legalization voices suggest a regulated cannabis sector could establish quality standards, restrict access by minors, promote medicinal and industrial uses, and generate jobs and government revenue, while opponents worry it could widen access and misuse—an explicit framing in the discourse surrounding Sowore's calls for reform.
A named suspect arrested in connection with the Edo raids is 40-year-old Agholor Elebojie, illustrating the criminal elements involved in reported trafficking networks linked to the seized crops.
Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, has slammed Nigeria's drug enforcement agency for burning cannabis farms in Edo State, calling the move wasteful and "economically counterproductive." According to BarristerNG, Sowore declared: "You cannot burn your way out of poverty" — framing the destruction as a missed economic opportunity for a country struggling with widespread hardship.
The criticism follows raids by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Edo State, where agents destroyed two cannabis plantations and arrested 10 suspected drug traffickers. The farms together held an estimated 4,628.9 kilograms of cannabis, according to The Real Media.
Two Edo Farms Destroyed, 10 Suspects Arrested
The NDLEA carried out the raids based on what its Edo State commander Mitchell Ofoyeju called "credible intelligence." The first farm covered 0.699792 hectares and yielded 1,749.26 kg of cannabis. The second was larger — 1.151889 hectares — and produced about 2,879.64 kg, according to Nigerian Eye.
A 40-year-old man named Agholor Elebojie was among those arrested in connection with the raids, according to The Real Media. Cannabis is commonly called 'wewe' in parts of Nigeria and remains illegal for recreational use. The NDLEA has made cannabis farm destruction a regular part of its anti-drug operations across the country.
Sowore Calls Destruction an Outdated, Costly Policy
Sowore has pushed back hard against the NDLEA's approach. He argues that burning crops worth millions of naira makes no sense when millions of Nigerians live in poverty. He called the current policy "outdated" and urged the federal government to change course, according to The Guild.
Sowore spread his message across X and Facebook, calling for legalisation and regulation instead of destruction. Elan Hub reported that he framed the issue as a failure of economic thinking — one that costs the country jobs, revenue and research potential at a time when it can least afford to.
The Case for Legalisation: Jobs, Revenue and Medicine
Sowore argues a regulated cannabis industry could create jobs, boost government tax revenue and open the door to medicinal and industrial uses. He says quality standards could be set, access by minors could be restricted and the supply chain could be monitored — benefits impossible to achieve when the crop is driven underground, according to BarristerNG.
Pro-legalisation voices echo this view, saying regulation is smarter than prohibition. But opponents warn that legalising cannabis could widen access and increase misuse. That debate is now central to public discussion in Nigeria, as Sowore's calls for reform draw fresh attention to an issue the government has so far resisted, according to Nigerian Eye.
Cannabis Reform Debate Tests Nigeria's Drug Policy Future
Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world and an economy under severe strain. Sowore's push puts cannabis reform in that context — not as a social issue alone, but as an economic one. The Guild reported that he wants the government to treat cannabis as a resource to develop, not a threat to eliminate.
Whether the government will listen remains unclear. The NDLEA has given no sign it plans to change its approach. For now, agencies continue to destroy farms while voices like Sowore's grow louder — arguing that Nigeria is literally burning money it cannot afford to lose, according to The Real Media.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativePublishers
14
Articles
6
Reach
20
