Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has disclosed that the agency arrested 77,792 individuals for drug-related offences within the last five years, including 128 identified drug barons who played key roles in major trafficking syndicates.
Gatekeepers News reports that Marwa made this known on Tuesday at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja during the 11th Chief Executive Officers’ Awards and Commendations ceremony. He declared that Nigeria is no longer a refuge for organised drug criminal networks.
According to him, NDLEA seized a cumulative 14,847,000 kilograms of illicit drugs during the period under review, a development he said has dealt a heavy blow to both domestic and international drug supply chains while strengthening the country’s criminal justice system.
He added that 14,225 suspects were successfully prosecuted and convicted, stressing that the outcomes serve as a strong deterrent and a clear signal that drug crimes carry serious 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 stated that the agency has “sent a clear message that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for illicit drug enterprises.”
Marwa further revealed that a notorious fugitive drug dealer who orchestrated the killing of three NDLEA officers 12 years ago was arrested last week.
He also spoke about another fugitive who committed drug offences in South Korea, was tried, convicted, served a prison term, deported to Nigeria about 17 or 18 years ago, and returned to drug trafficking activities across several Southern African countries.
“For seventeen years he was on it until we finally arrested him, and his trial is ongoing. To anyone who thinks he has escaped justice has to think again, because we will get him or her, no matter how long it takes,” he said.
Reflecting on the completion of his first five-year tenure, Marwa noted that the agency’s achievements were made possible through the backing of the executive, legislature and judiciary.
He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support and confidence in the agency’s leadership, describing the extension of the current leadership’s tenure as a directive to intensify 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.
“This journey would not have been possible without the unflinching support of the President. I therefore wish to express my profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the absolute trust he has reposed in my leadership and in the entire workforce of this agency.”
Marwa added that the renewed mandate signifies greater responsibility, assuring Nigerians that the progress recorded so far is only the beginning.
“Mr. President’s decision to extend our mandate is a call to more work. We assure him, and indeed all Nigerians, that the successes of the past five years are merely a foundation,” he said.
“In this second tenure, we will escalate the war against drug abuse and trafficking to new heights of efficiency and results.”
Addressing NDLEA officers and personnel, Marwa said the next phase of operations would require stronger resolve and advanced tactical approaches.
“We will not rest until every drug baron is behind bars, every trafficker is intercepted, every mule is caught, and every single gram of illicit drug is removed from our streets and communities,” he said.
He warned against complacency, emphasising that the agency must remain proactive, intelligence-driven and relentless in protecting the nation’s youth and security.
“Let me be clear: the objective of this agency remains the total disruption of drug trafficking and the protection of our communities,” Marwa stated.
“The expectation is sustained pressure until every drug baron, trafficker, courier, and gram of illicit drugs is taken out of our streets and communities. There will be no retreat and no complacency.”
At the ceremony, 166 NDLEA personnel and 17 commands received honours for outstanding performance.
