By Erewunmi Peace

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for significantly enhancing the agency’s capacity in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.

Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, Marwa acknowledged the President’s unwavering support, which has resulted in the deployment of advanced tools, modern operational vehicles, and sophisticated weaponry to the agency. He also confirmed that under the Tinubu administration, the NDLEA’s workforce has expanded to over 15,000 personnel, now strategically deployed across airports, seaports, highways, and border regions nationwide.

“President Tinubu has boosted our intelligence capacity, strengthened our firepower, and approved the establishment of a marine command to protect the nation’s waterways from drug smuggling. His support is one of the key reasons NDLEA has maintained an aggressive posture against drug cartels,” Marwa stated.

He further revealed that recent data from the United Nations places Nigeria among countries with high levels of substance abuse, with over 14.3 million Nigerians currently affected. According to Marwa, the South-West region holds the highest prevalence at 24.4%, followed by the South-South (16.6%), North-Central (10%), South-East (10%), North-East (13.6%) and North-West (12%).

“These figures reveal that drug abuse is now one of the top three major challenges facing Nigeria, alongside terrorism and corruption,” he emphasized.

Marwa also noted that the agency continues to work on a preventive approach by launching school drug testing programs, awareness campaigns, and rehabilitation initiatives.

The NDLEA, established in 1989, has been at the forefront of Nigeria’s war against drug abuse and trafficking. With the recent boost in capacity and federal backing, the agency is poised to achieve even greater success in dismantling drug syndicates across the country.