The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called on the government of President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on drug abuse in Nigeria.
Marwa made the call while encouraging Nigerian elites to support the NDLEA’s comprehensive strategy to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking. Speaking at the Island Club Business Forum in Lagos on Tuesday, he stressed that tackling drug abuse is not solely the responsibility of the government, but a collective challenge that requires the involvement of all Nigerians.
“This is not a challenge for the government alone. We are all stakeholders in this issue,” Marwa said in his keynote address. “The future of Nigeria belongs to all of us.
As we at NDLEA are doing our part, we expect society to complement our efforts by preventing young people from falling into situations that encourage experimentation with drugs, whether licit or illicit.”
He emphasized that the simplest way everyone can contribute is by becoming advocates against drug abuse. “By spreading the message about the dangers of drug misuse, we can protect many lives from the devastation of illicit drugs.
The Island Club can also play a vital role in safeguarding the wellbeing of our society by joining this effort,” Marwa added.
Marwa highlighted the progress made by the NDLEA in the past three years, following his leadership, noting that the agency has significantly intensified its drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction initiatives.
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However, he pointed out that the urgency of the situation has increased due to the 2021 World Drug Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which forecasted a 40% increase in drug use in Africa by 2030, particularly among those aged 25-34.
He outlined the scale of the problem, citing the NDLEA’s anti-drug operations over the past three years.
“In just three years, we have arrested 52,901 traffickers, including 52 barons, and secured 9,034 convictions.
The barons we’ve arrested are not anonymous figures—they include prominent businesspeople, socialites, government officials, and individuals with chieftaincy titles. This highlights the extent to which drug abuse has permeated all levels of society.”
In addition, Marwa revealed that the NDLEA has seized 8.6 million kilograms of illicit drugs and destroyed over 1,500 hectares of cannabis farms during this period.
The NDLEA Chairman’s remarks underline the urgent need for collective action to address the growing drug abuse crisis in Nigeria, and his call for a national response from all sectors of society remains a crucial part of the ongoing fight against drug trafficking and addiction.