The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), says Nigeria has decisively shed its reputation as a safe ground for illicit drug operations, following sweeping enforcement successes recorded over the past five years.
Marwa disclosed that between 2021 and 2025, the Agency arrested 77,792 suspects, including 128 high-profile drug barons, secured 14,225 convictions, and confiscated more than 14.8 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs across the country. According to him, these outcomes have significantly weakened both local and international drug trafficking networks operating within and through Nigeria.
He made the disclosure during his address at the 11th Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CCEO) Awards and Commendation Ceremony held at the NDLEA National Headquarters in Abuja.
Reflecting on his first tenure, Marwa recalled his pledge to confront drug traffickers head-on, describing the results so far as evidence of collective resolve and institutional resilience. He said the scale of arrests and seizures clearly demonstrates that criminal drug enterprises now face sustained and relentless pressure from the Agency.
Beyond enforcement, Marwa noted that the NDLEA adopted a balanced strategy that combined supply reduction with demand reduction. He revealed that 32,442 drug users benefited from treatment, counselling and rehabilitation programmes, while 13,735 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns were carried out nationwide. These engagements, he said, spanned schools, motor parks, workplaces, worship centres and communities, broadening public awareness and preventive action.
The NDLEA boss attributed the Agency’s achievements to strong intergovernmental collaboration, acknowledging the support of the executive, legislature and judiciary. He particularly expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his consistent backing and for approving the extension of the current leadership’s tenure.
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According to Marwa, the renewed mandate is both a vote of confidence and a call to intensify the anti-drug campaign. He assured Nigerians that the gains of the past five years represent only a foundation for even more robust action in the years ahead.
Addressing officers and personnel of the Agency, Marwa urged them to prepare for more tactically advanced and intelligence-driven operations in his second term. He warned against complacency, stressing that the next phase of the war on drugs would demand greater grit, professionalism and operational sophistication.
He reaffirmed the NDLEA’s core mission of total disruption of drug trafficking networks, declaring that sustained pressure would continue until drug barons, traffickers and couriers are dismantled and illicit substances removed from Nigerian communities.
The event also featured the presentation of awards to outstanding officers who demonstrated exceptional courage, discipline and integrity in the line of duty. Marwa encouraged the award recipients to view the honours as recognition of their sacrifices, while charging other personnel to draw inspiration from their example and remain steadfast in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
