Marwa Commends Security Agencies Over Rescue of 20 Corps Members
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has commended the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies for the successful rescue of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and another abducted person in the South-East.
Marwa described the safe recovery of the victims as a major victory for the country and evidence of what coordinated, intelligence-driven security operations could achieve in the fight against kidnapping and other forms of criminality.
The NDLEA chairman, in a statement reacting to the development, said the safe return of the young Nigerians to their families demonstrated the courage, professionalism and unity of purpose of the country’s security agencies.
“The safe return of these young Nigerians to their families is a testament to the courage, professionalism and unity of purpose of our security agencies,” Marwa said.
He noted that prospective corps members represented an important segment of the country’s youth population who were prepared to serve their fatherland, stressing that the government and security agencies had a responsibility to protect them.
“Our corps members are the nation’s best, serving their fatherland with hope and idealism. Nigeria owes them protection, and today our gallant men and women have delivered,” he said.
The commendation followed the successful operation by security forces which led to the rescue of the 20 prospective corps members and another victim recently abducted in the South-East.
Marwa, a retired military officer, said achievements of this nature deserved public recognition, particularly at a time when the country was confronting multiple security challenges.
“As a retired military officer serving under the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Tinubu, it is imperative for us to draw public attention to this kind of achievement by our security agencies and equally commend them,” he said.
He also acknowledged a series of successful rescue operations carried out by security agencies across the country in recent months, saying such operations had not only freed abducted victims but had also restored hope to families affected by kidnapping.
According to him, every successful rescue operation demonstrated the capacity of the nation’s security architecture to confront criminal elements when agencies worked together and relied on credible intelligence.
“Every life rescued is a triumph for our collective resolve. These operations show that criminals cannot outrun a determined and united security architecture,” Marwa said.
He stressed the importance of sustained inter-agency collaboration in tackling kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes, particularly because of the link between illicit drugs and criminal activities.
Marwa assured the military, police, DSS and other security agencies of the NDLEA’s continued support and cooperation in the fight against criminality.
He said the illicit drug trade and drug abuse could contribute to violent crime, kidnapping and banditry, making the disruption of drug trafficking networks an important component of the wider national security effort.
“Where drugs flow, insecurity thrives. That is why the NDLEA will keep working with sister agencies to dismantle the networks that fund and fuel criminality, and we will deepen intelligence-sharing and joint operations,” he said.
The NDLEA chairman urged the security agencies to sustain the momentum and build on recent successes, stressing that continued collaboration and intelligence-led operations remained critical to protecting lives and property.
He also appealed to Nigerians to support the security forces by providing timely and credible information that could assist in preventing crimes and facilitating the rescue of victims.
Marwa expressed his best wishes to the rescued prospective corps members, urging that they be given the necessary support as they recover from the ordeal and reunite fully with their families.
