By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
BRIGADIER-GENERAL Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has called for collective action to tackle drug abuse, trafficking, and other social vices in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 7th Security and Emergency Management Awards and Conference (SAEMA 2025), Marwa said, “Securing our nation is a shared responsibility.
All security agencies, emergency responders, and civil society partners are working toward the same goal: a safe, stable, and prosperous Nigeria.”
Dual Strategy: Supply and Demand Reduction
Marwa outlined NDLEA’s two-pronged approach:
▪️Supply Reduction: Intelligence-led operations, interdictions, and international collaboration have led to over 16,300 arrests, 3,000 convictions, 4.5 million kg of drugs seized, and the destruction of 612 hectares of cannabis farms in the first 10 months of 2025.
▪️Demand Reduction: The agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign has conducted 3,765 awareness activities nationwide, while 30 rehabilitation centres provide medical treatment, counselling, and reintegration support.
“Where there is no demand, there will not be supply,” Marwa noted, emphasising the importance of treatment alongside enforcement.
Recognition for NDLEA’s Efforts
The event also celebrated NDLEA’s impact, with Marwa receiving the Outstanding Personality of the Year award and Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy, honoured as Outstanding Crisis Communicator of the Year.
Other security agencies recognised included the Nigerian Army, Airforce, DSS, EFCC, ICPC, and NCoS.
CISLAC Executive Director Auwal Musa Rafsanjani commended Marwa, saying, “The incredible work Gen. Marwa is doing is visible every day. Drug abuse is directly linked to our national security, and NDLEA is leading the charge.”
The conference also featured the launch of Anti-Drug, Anti-Smuggling Campaigns: A Corpers’ Chronicle, authored by Youth Corps members Arafat Abdulrazaq and Tahir Ahmad.
Marwa concluded that NDLEA will continue its fight against drugs through collaboration, advocacy, and compassionate rehabilitation, building on the successes of the past five years.
