Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called on Nigerian youths to take the lead in the campaign against drug abuse, describing them as the nation’s intellectual ambassadors and advocates for a drug-free society.
Marwa made the call on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, in Abuja while addressing First Class university graduates from across the country at the 2nd Peace Magazine Honour Roll Ceremony, where he was the Special Guest of Honour.
He congratulated the awardees for their academic excellence and urged them to channel their brilliance toward national development, noting that their achievements represent “the promise of a better Nigeria.”
“Your success today is not just an academic milestone—it is a call to service. That promise can only be fulfilled if you remain steadfast, disciplined, and drug-free,” Marwa stated. “Drug abuse is the biggest saboteur of destiny and the enemy of excellence.”
The NDLEA boss warned that substance abuse poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s human capital and future, stressing that it “derails futures, extinguishes dreams, and leads talented youths down a path of mental instability, crime, and premature death.”
He urged the honoured graduates to use their influence and voices to promote abstinence and responsible living among peers and in their communities.
“With your academic attainment, your words carry weight. Use your success story to preach that true excellence comes from a clear mind, not from chemical intoxication. Help dispel the myths that drugs enhance creativity or relieve pressure,” he advised.
Marwa encouraged the graduates to become NDLEA “Advocates of Excellence” and Champions of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), the agency’s nationwide social advocacy campaign.
“The fight against drug abuse must be a collective one—a whole-of-society effort. While we at the NDLEA continue to dismantle cartels and arrest traffickers, you must help reduce demand through advocacy and positive influence,” he said.
He also commended Peace Magazine for creating a platform that celebrates academic distinction, describing it as a “powerful counter-narrative to social decay.”
