Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (rtd), has issued a stern warning to drug barons, traffickers, and their cartels to abandon the illicit drug trade or brace for an even tougher crackdown during his second five-year term.
Marwa, who was reappointed on Friday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, delivered the warning while addressing jubilant NDLEA staff who gathered at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja to celebrate his renewed mandate. He vowed that his second tenure would be “hell and bleak” for anyone who continues to engage in the drug trade.
Expressing gratitude to President Tinubu for acknowledging the agency’s efforts against drug trafficking and substance abuse, Marwa commended NDLEA personnel for their dedication, often at great personal risk.
He also appreciated the support of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun. Marwa further acknowledged the contributions of local and international partners collaborating with the agency to curb the menace of illicit drugs.
Issuing a direct message to criminal networks, Marwa said: “The cartels have not seen anything yet. I promise them this second tenure is going to be hell and bleak for them. Drugs shall not pass, in or out or within Nigeria.”
Reiterating the NDLEA’s commitment to President Tinubu’s mandate, he said the agency would intensify law enforcement efforts, asset forfeiture, and supply chain disruption, emphasizing that those who refuse to quit the illegal trade “will be arrested, the drugs seized, and their assets confiscated.”
Marwa encouraged individuals involved in cannabis cultivation and other illicit drug activities to take advantage of the agency’s Alternative Development Unit, which promotes a shift toward legitimate and profitable crop cultivation.
He also reaffirmed the NDLEA’s dedication to drug demand reduction through prevention, sensitization, counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation. The agency currently operates 30 rehabilitation centres, with seven additional centres to be established in 2025 under the Renewed Hope Agenda—ensuring every state in the federation has at least one facility.
Marwa disclosed that collaborations with the Ministers of Health and Education will strengthen rehabilitation and prevention programmes, including the adoption of drug tests for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions.
He concluded with prayers for the President and continued success for NDLEA officers as they pursue a drug-free Nigeria.
