NCWS, NDLEA Join Forces in Fight Against Drug Abuse

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) has commended President Bola Tinubu for reappointing Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for another five-year term.

The council described the decision as a national endorsement of Marwa’s leadership and a boost for ongoing efforts against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, NCWS National President, Edna Azura praised Marwa’s transformative leadership.

A statement on Thursday by the spokesperson of NDLEA, Fem Babafemi, said she highlighted the Agency’s achievements under his watch, including dismantling sophisticated trafficking networks, intercepting record quantities of illicit drugs, improving intelligence-driven operations, expanding community-based preventive education, and strengthening rehabilitation pathways for victims.

“These achievements represent hope for millions of families, especially women and children, who often suffer the silent consequences of drug-related crime and societal instability,” she said.

Azura also called for deeper collaboration between NDLEA and NCWS, proposing joint sensitisation campaigns in schools, markets, and communities, as well as training women leaders to serve as community anti-drug ambassadors.

She emphasised the role of women in making prevention programs more effective through advocacy, education, and grassroots engagement.

Responding, Marwa said drug abuse affects every community and warned that with approximately 15 million drug users nationwide, the menace has become Nigeria’s number one challenge.

He stressed that government alone cannot tackle the crisis and urged NCWS to actively participate in awareness, prevention, and rehabilitation initiatives.

“So NCWS, we don’t have any bigger partners than you because you are the mothers handling families all over the country. It is very critical that you stand up and be part of this struggle to redeem the young boys and girls, including women who are afflicted,” Marwa said.

He assured the council that NDLEA would organise Drug Use Prevention, Treatment, and Care (DPTC) training in 2026, tailored for NCWS leaders to take the programs to states and grassroots communities.

He also encouraged their support for the drug integrity test for intending couples, aimed at early detection and discouraging substance abuse among the youth.

The visit reinforced the NDLEA’s commitment to a whole-of-society approach, with women’s groups playing a critical role in protecting families and communities from the growing threat of drug abuse.