Nigeria No Longer Safe Haven for Drug Cartels – Marwa

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), says Nigeria has effectively shut its doors to criminal drug networks following sweeping enforcement successes recorded over the past five years.
Marwa made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at the 11th Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CCEO) Awards and Commendation Ceremony, where 166 NDLEA personnel and 17 Commands were honoured for outstanding performance.
According to him, the agency recorded 77,792 arrests, including 128 major drug barons, secured 14,225 convictions, and seized over 14.8 million kilograms of illicit drugs, disrupting both local and transnational drug supply chains.
“The numbers speak for themselves. Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for illicit drug enterprise,” Marwa said, attributing the achievements to intelligence-led, disciplined and proactive operations.
He added that NDLEA also strengthened drug demand reduction efforts, with 32,442 drug users receiving treatment and rehabilitation, while 13,735 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation programmes were conducted nationwide.

Second Tenure: No Retreat, No Complacency
With the commencement of his second tenure, Marwa said the agency is entering a new phase focused on consolidating past gains, addressing emerging drug threats, and raising performance standards across all commands and formations.
“We are not only closing the chapter on a remarkably successful first five-year tenure, but also opening the first page of another five-year tenure. There will be no retreat and no complacency,” he declared.
He said operations in the next five years will be driven by intelligence-led, proactive and aggressive strategies, warning that NDLEA officers must be ready for more tactically sophisticated engagements against drug cartels, traffickers and couriers.
“There is no room for complacency. We will not rest until every drug baron is behind bars and every gramme of illicit drugs is removed from our streets,” he said.
Marwa expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for extending the agency’s leadership mandate, describing it as a call to intensify the war against drug abuse and trafficking.
Message to Awardees
Addressing award recipients, Marwa said the honours were not just recognition but a call to greater responsibility, urging other officers to draw inspiration from their dedication.
He also acknowledged the support of the executive, legislature, judiciary, international partners, civil society and the media, calling for deeper collaboration to protect Nigerian communities and youth.
The bi-annual CCEO Awards are part of NDLEA’s internal performance appraisal and motivation framework aimed at sustaining operational excellence.