Since assuming office in January 2021, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Buba Marwa (Rtd) has not rested on his oars in his bid to tackle the unrelenting drug scourge. NICHOLAS KALU reports.
Nigeria, a country with a population of over 200 million people, is grappling with drug abuse epidemic. The menace of drug abuse has become a major public health concern, affecting not only the health and well-being of individuals but also the social and economic fabric of the nation. According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria has one of the highest drug abuse prevalence rates in the world. The latest figure from the National Bureau of Statistics on drug abuse indicates that about 14.3 million Nigerians, representing 14.4% of the population, use psychoactive substances, with cannabis being the most widely used. This figure was put out from a survey conducted in 2018 and the situation may have worsened since then.
The fight against drug abuse in Nigeria is a long and winding road, fraught with challenges and obstacles. However, the NDLEA under the leadership of Brig Gen Buba Marwa has been working tirelessly to combat the scourge. Despite the various successes recorded by the agency, it appears the problem is just being scratched on the surface. There is still much to be desired in the efforts to address the drug scourge and its attendant problems in the country. Marwa has been relentless. But so have the perpetrators of the illicit business.
Marwa’s offensive
Right from his first day in office on January 18, 2021, Marwa literally wielded the big stick, sending warning messages to all involved that it would no longer be business as usual. Activities at the agency seemed to have picked up with a frenzy that sharply contrasted with the lack of enthusiasm that characterised it before his coming on board.
Since being on the saddle, evidently it has been ‘fire on the mountain’ for those involved in the illicit trade, right from the barons at the top of the chain all the way to dealers in the streets. He had declared he was going to take the war to them, and although much still needs to be done, the results of the onslaught against illegal drugs have been apparent.
The NDLEA boss has so far proven his mettle, matching those in the illicit drug business trick for trick and energy for energy. He immediately declared his intention to go after the assets of drug barons and traffickers as part of his offensive against them.
Every other week Nigerians are treated to devious devices that drugs dealers employ to beat the authorities. From hiding drugs in the most unusual and ridiculous places while trying to import or export them, to attempting to distribute it among the populace, the NDLEA has been up and doing in tackling the problem. This is in spite of its funding and manpower challenges. The NDLEA has recorded several high-profile arrests of drug traffickers and secured convictions, ranging from single unit years to life imprisonment. In 2023, 3, 412 persons were convicted, out of which 15 were barons. Lots of assets, drugs and weapons have also been seized.
Seeking collaborations
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As the lead agency in the fight against drug abuse, the NDLEA has been at the vanguard of efforts to address the challenge, but its efforts have been bolstered by collaborations with relevant stakeholders. One of the key stakeholders the NDLEA has collaborated with is the Federal Government. The agency has worked closely with various agencies of the government to develop and implement policies and programs aimed at preventing drug abuse and treating those affected. The NDLEA has also partnered with various civil society organisations who have provided valuable support in areas such as awareness campaigns, counselling, and rehabilitation.
In addition, the NDLEA has collaborated with international organisations, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Union, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) among others. These partnerships have enabled the agency to access technical assistance, funding, and expertise to enhance its operations. The NDLEA has also engaged with religious leaders and organisations, recognising the important role they play in shaping societal values and behaviours.
Furthermore, the NDLEA has collaborated with educational institutions to develop and implement drug abuse prevention programmes targeting students. The agency has also worked with sister security agencies like the Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Customs Service and others. These collaborations have enabled the NDLEA to leverage resources, expertise and influence, to combat drug abuse more effectively. By working together, the NDLEA and its stakeholders are making significant progress in the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria. During the handing over of illicit drugs by the Customs to the agency earlier this year, Marwa had commended the synergy, saying the collaborations across board were strong warnings to drug cartels that they will continue to lose their investments in the criminal trade.
Boosting personnel morale
Realising that not much can be achieved if personnel are not adequately motivated; Marwa had commenced the re-engineering of the agency for optimal performance. Marwa had said he met personnel morale at its lowest ebb when he assumed office and that this had to be addressed if the efforts had to be meaningful. As a result, he had gone ahead to inaugurate a seven-member harmonisation committee to address issues affecting personnel and all forms of distortions hampering the smooth running of the agency.
While inaugurating the committee, he had said, “The first thing is to resolve the issue of low morale. We need to develop a proper, accurate and credible seniority roll for the personnel. We have officers in the various commands whose promotion has been delayed for no just cause, whereas the vacancies are there. Others have been overtaken by their juniors; this is an error that must be addressed”.
Since then the agency has lived up to its words of motivating staff by addressing the issues of discrepancies and appreciating their efforts. In 2023, a total of 104 personnel and 13 commands that had outstanding performances in the second half of the year were recognised and rewarded. Recently, the agency’s chairman/chief executive officer approved special promotion for eight officers of its Marine Command for their brave and professional conduct during a recent operation.
He said the reward scheme, which would continue to be enhanced, is also part of the sweeping reforms he instituted in the past three years to motivate officers to raise their performance level.
Public enlightenment
One of the major challenges in the fight against drug abuse is the lack of awareness and education. Many Nigerians are not aware of the dangers of drug abuse, and some even view it as a way of life. To address this, the NDLEA has launched several awareness campaigns targeting schools, communities, and religious organisations.
The NDLEA and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) recently agreed to work together to curb the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in communities across the country. Marwa expressed the preparedness of NDLEA to work with the council chairmen to ensure that people at the grassroots are well sensitised about the dangers of abusing illicit drugs and also provide help for those already hooked in the unhealthy habit. Since then, the effort has recorded significant gains, as commands and formations of the agency across the country, with vigour, have sustained WADA, sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities
We will not blink first, says NDLEA
Nigeria’s fight against drug abuse is fraught with various challenges, but it is a fight that must be won. Marwa has made it clear that the Agency will not blink first as he continues to call on the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders for their support. Many have lauded the spirit the chairman has injected into the NDLEA, and the scepticism that followed his ability to deal with the situation has made way for confidence that if the tempo is accelerated, the issue of drug abuse would be, at least, reduced to the barest minimum.
One thing is certain, the government, civil societies and individuals and every other relevant stakeholder must be on board to address the scourge and create a safer, healthier and more productive society.