My Second Tenure Will Be Hell, Marwa Warns Drug Traffickers

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohamed Buba Marwa, has reiterated his agency’s commitment to tackle the menace of drug trafficking, warning of an intensified crackdown on drug barons and trafficking networks across the country.

Marwa, reappointed by President Bola Tinubu for another five-year term, told staff at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja that traffickers should expect no respite.

“This second tenure is going to be hell and bleak for them,” he warned. “Drugs shall not pass — in or out or within Nigeria.”

He urged those involved in drug trafficking and illegal cultivation to abandon the trade immediately.

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Marwa thanked the President, the agency’s personnel, and local and international partners for their support, saying his renewed mandate is a call for deeper commitment.

“This is the right time for them to drop that criminal business and face something legitimate,” he 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.

“We thank the President for recognising our collective efforts and giving us the opportunity to continue this war against drug abuse and trafficking,” he said.

Speaking on rehabilitation efforts, Marwa announced plans to expand NDLEA facilities nationwide.

He also highlighted recent approval for 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, noting that seven new centres will be built in 2025 to ensure each state has one.