The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), has called on traditional rulers across the country to join efforts to combat drug abuse by addressing the social conditions that expose women and young people to addiction, exploitation and other societal challenges.
Marwa made the appeal on Saturday in Kaduna at the public presentation of In The Shadow of the Neem Tree, a book authored by his daughter, Barrister Mariam Marwa-Abdu. He said protecting the girl-child from poverty, abuse, early marriage and lack of education is essential to building stronger families and securing Nigeria’s future.
Drawing from his experience as head of the nation’s anti-drug agency, Marwa said many of the drug abuse cases handled by the NDLEA stem from deep-rooted social and economic vulnerabilities.
“As the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, I see firsthand every day how systemic vulnerabilities like poverty, abuse and lack of education drive women and youth toward drug abuse and exploitation,” he said.
The former military administrator of Lagos and Borno states stressed that reversing the trend requires collective action beyond government programmes, urging traditional institutions to champion the protection and empowerment of girls in their communities.
“We cannot leave this battle to the government or non-governmental organisations alone. We need the partnership of our revered traditional institutions. We must protect our daughters, educate them and give them the wings to fly,” he said.
Marwa commended the author for using literature as a platform to advocate social justice, describing the book as a bold contribution to the campaign against harmful cultural practices that deny girls the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
He noted that the book highlights the plight of girls forced into early marriage and examines its devastating consequences on their education, health and future prospects.
According to him, while the neem tree is traditionally associated with shelter and communal gatherings across northern Nigeria, it also symbolises places where life-altering decisions affecting young girls are sometimes made.
“Early marriage robs a girl of her childhood, her education, her health and her potential to contribute meaningfully to society,” Marwa stated.
The NDLEA boss also expressed pride as a father, noting that four of his eldest children have now become published authors, a development he described as evidence of the family’s commitment to promoting positive social change through literature.
Author of the book and founder of the Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation (WCREF), Mariam Marwa-Abdu, said In The Shadow of the Neem Tree is rooted in her years of advocacy for women and children’s rights.
She explained that since establishing the foundation in 2011, she has worked to translate the values reflected in the book into practical interventions aimed at protecting vulnerable women and children.
Representing the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, the District Head of Basawa and Barden Kerarriyan Zazzau, Architect Haruna Abubakar Bamalli, expressed confidence that the book would spark wider public discourse and strengthen collective efforts to advance girl-child protection and social development across the country.
