Abuja – Buba Marwa, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says the agency has arrested 77,792 drug offenders over the past five years, including 128 high-profile drug barons central to major trafficking networks.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking on Tuesday at the NDLEA headquarters during the 11th CCEO Awards and Commendations, Marwa declared that “the era of Nigeria serving as a safe haven for criminal drug enterprises is over.”
The agency seized a total of 14,847,000 kilograms of illicit drugs, disrupting local and international supply chains while strengthening the criminal justice response to drug offenses. NDLEA also prosecuted and secured convictions against 14,225 offenders, reinforcing that drug crime carries consequences.
“When I first resumed in 2021, I promised to take the fight to the doorsteps of the merchants of death. Today, the numbers speak for themselves,” Marwa said.
He highlighted recent high-profile arrests, including a fugitive responsible for the killing of three NDLEA personnel 12 years ago, and another drug offender who had committed crimes in South Korea before resuming operations in Africa. “To anyone who thinks they have escaped justice, think again,” Marwa warned.
Reflecting on his first five-year tenure, Marwa credited President Bola Tinubu, the executive, legislature, and judiciary for their support. He noted that the president’s extension of NDLEA leadership’s mandate signals a call to escalate the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
“These achievements are not accidental. They are the result of discipline, leadership, intelligence-led operations, and clear performance expectations,” he said. “In this second tenure, we will escalate the war against drug abuse and trafficking to new heights of efficiency and results.”
Marwa urged NDLEA officers to remain vigilant, proactive, and relentless:
“We will not rest until every drug baron is behind bars, every trafficker intercepted, every mule caught, and every single gram of illicit drug removed from our streets and communities. There is no room for complacency.”
At the event, 166 personnel and 17 commands were honoured for their service and achievements.
