Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), has emphasised that safeguarding Nigeria from the threats of substance abuse, illicit drug trafficking, and related social vices must be treated as a shared responsibility.
Marwa made the call on Wednesday in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the 7th Security and Emergency Management Awards and Conference (SAEMA 2025), hosted at the NDLEA headquarters. He pledged that the agency will consolidate on the gains of the last five years under his second tenure, with intensified interdiction efforts and strengthened treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention initiatives.
“The task before us—securing our nation—is a shared responsibility,” he said. “The awards today remind us that security agencies, emergency responders, and civil society partners are united by a common purpose: ensuring a safe, stable, and prosperous Nigeria.”
Marwa reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to a balanced strategy combining supply reduction and demand reduction. He noted that while enforcement operations continue to dismantle drug cartels and cut supply chains, the agency is equally focused on advocacy, awareness, and rehabilitation to discourage drug use and support those struggling with addiction.
Highlighting recent progress, the NDLEA boss disclosed that within the first 10 months of 2025, the agency recorded over 16,304 arrests, secured nearly 3,000 convictions, and seized 4.5 million kilogrammes of illicit substances. In the same period, 612.2864 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed across the country.
On the demand-side response, Marwa underscored the impact of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, which has reached schools, markets, religious centres, and communities nationwide. So far in 2025, the NDLEA has conducted more than 3,765 WADA activities through its state, zonal, and strategic commands.
He added that the agency operates 30 rehabilitation centres providing treatment, counselling, and reintegration services, with expansion efforts underway in partnership with state governments, NGOs, and international organisations.
Speakers at the event, including the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani; Chairman, Centre for Crisis Communication, Gen. Chris Olukolade (rtd); Chairman, Image Merchants Promotion Ltd., Prof. Sule Yau Sule; and PRNigeria Editor-in-Chief, Yushau Shuaib, commended Marwa for his leadership and the NDLEA’s contribution to national security.
Rafsanjani lauded Marwa’s impact, noting that the agency’s consistent interception of drugs has saved countless young Nigerians from the dangers of substance abuse. He also emphasised the link between drug abuse and national security challenges.
The event featured the presentation of the book Anti-Drug, Anti-Smuggling Campaigns: A Corpers’ Chronicle by Youth Corps members Arafat Abdulrazaq and Tahir Ahmad.
A major highlight was the conferment of the ‘Outstanding Personality of the Year’ award on Marwa and the ‘Outstanding Crisis Communicator of the Year’ award on NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi. Other security agencies recognised included the Nigerian Army, Air Force, DSS, EFCC, ICPC, and NCoS.
