The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has cautioned that drug use across Africa is projected to increase by 40 percent, with Nigeria already ranking among the countries with the highest prevalence.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking at a seminar in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, themed “Dangers of Drug Abuse, Cultism and Banditry among Youths” and organised by the Ijebu Ode Council of Olorituns, Marwa noted that drug abuse, cultism, and banditry are interlinked social threats that require a unified response.
The NDLEA chairman referenced data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, warning of severe consequences if the trend is not urgently addressed.
He identified a disturbing shift in cult activities from tertiary institutions to secondary schools and neighbourhoods, where vulnerable youths are being exploited.
Marwa linked this to the rising influence of drugs, which he said fuels violence and criminality, including cases where young people have taken the lives of their peers under the guise of loyalty to cult groups.
Highlighting NDLEA’s enforcement record over the past 54 months, he reported 67,345 arrests, including 95 drug barons, the seizure of over 11.2 million kilograms of illicit substances, and the destruction of 1,572 hectares of cannabis farms. The agency’s rehabilitation initiatives have reached more than 27,000 drug users.
Marwa called for collective responsibility from parents, religious and traditional leaders, educational authorities, and communities to combat the problem.
He urged the public to partner with NDLEA through intelligence sharing, moral reorientation, and the creation of educational, entrepreneurial, and sporting opportunities to engage the youth productively.
During his visit to Ijebu Ode, he also paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
