The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohamed Buba Marwa, has pledged an intensified fight against drug trafficking, warning that his second term will bring no respite for traffickers and criminal networks.
Marwa, recently reappointed by President Bola Tinubu for another five-year term, told staff at the agency’s Abuja headquarters that drug barons should prepare for “hell and bleak” times ahead. “Drugs shall not pass — in or out or within Nigeria,” he declared, urging those involved in trafficking and illegal cultivation to abandon the trade immediately.
He expressed gratitude to the President, NDLEA personnel, and both local and international partners for their support, describing his renewed mandate as a call for deeper commitment. “This is the right time for them to drop that criminal business and face something legitimate,” Marwa said. “If you refuse, you will be arrested, the drugs will be seized, and your assets will be confiscated. You will come out of jail to find nothing left.”
Marwa also outlined plans to strengthen rehabilitation efforts, announcing that NDLEA facilities will be expanded nationwide. He highlighted the recent approval of drug testing for students entering tertiary institutions, saying it would help “catch them young before addiction sets in.”
“We are rededicating our efforts to prevention, counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation,” he said, adding that seven new centres will be built in 2025 to ensure each state has one.