NDLEA Chief Urges Nigerian Elites to Join Campaign Against Substance Abuse, Drug Trafficking
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called on Nigeria’s elites to actively participate in the agency’s whole-of-society strategy to tackle the growing menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Speaking on Tuesday, 19th November 2024, during a keynote address at the Island Club Business Forum in Lagos, Marwa emphasised the collective responsibility required to address the drug crisis threatening the nation’s future.
“This is not a challenge for the government alone,” Marwa asserted. “All of us are stakeholders in this issue, and it is an assignment for all Nigerians. The standard whole-of-society approach to the drug issue is such that everyone is a stakeholder. The future of Nigeria belongs to us all.”
He urged the elite and broader society to complement the NDLEA’s efforts by advocating against drug abuse and protecting young people from the dangers of experimentation with both licit and illicit substances. “Every one of us has a role to play, and the simplest role is one of advocacy. By spreading the message, we can all become anti-drug abuse advocates,” he said.
Marwa highlighted the urgent need for societal support, referencing the 2021 World Drug Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which forecasted a 40% increase in drug use in Africa by 2030, particularly among individuals aged 25-34.
“The outlook of the future will depend on our action or inaction at curbing the drug abuse trend,” he warned. “The future could be bright or bleak; it could be one of boom or gloom depending on the amount of work we are willing to do today.”
Marwa detailed the NDLEA’s successes since its restructuring three years ago, under his leadership. He disclosed that 52,901 drug traffickers, including 52 drug barons, had been arrested, with 9,034 convictions secured. Additionally, 8.6 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs had been seized, and 1,572 hectares of cannabis farms destroyed.
“The barons we have arrested are not anonymous people in society. They include big businesspeople, socialites, and government officials, including those tasked with maintaining law and order,” he said, highlighting the depth of the crisis.
The Island Club Business Forum also featured expert perspectives on the drug menace. Consultant psychiatrist Professor Harry Ladapo and Professor Lere Baale, President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, delivered remarks emphasising the health and societal implications of substance abuse.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Island Club, Omoba Rotimi Olasode Martins, commended Marwa’s unrelenting fight against drug abuse, describing it as a scourge infiltrating every layer of society.
He stressed the importance of collective action in combating the epidemic, noting that, “The fight against drug abuse is not just about enforcement or legislation; it is about building a society that offers hope, opportunities, and support to its citizens.”
The forum served as a clarion call for stakeholders from all sectors to unite in addressing a growing challenge that threatens to destabilise Nigeria’s socio-economic foundation and undermine the potential of its youth.
