Declare state of emergency on drug abuse: NDLEA tells Tinubu

Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to declare a state of emergency on drug abuse.

Marwa made this call during a keynote address at the Island Club Business Forum held in Lagos on Tuesday.

He emphasized the urgent need for Nigerian elites to support the NDLEA’s whole-of-society approach aimed at combating the growing crisis of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking. Marwa expressed confidence that the challenges posed by drug abuse could be significantly reduced with concerted efforts and strategic intervention.

“The drug abuse problem is a major concern, but with collective action and strong commitment, we can make impactful progress,” Marwa stated.

He said, “This is not a challenge for the government alone. All of us are stakeholders on this issue, and it is an assignment for all Nigerians. The standard whole-of-society approach to the drug issue is such that everyone is a stakeholder. The future of Nigeria belongs to us all.

“As we are doing our bit at NDLEA, we expect society to complement our efforts by taking a huge role in preventing the young ones from falling into situations that encourage experimentation with drugs, whether licit or illicit. Every one of us has a role to play, and the simplest role is one of advocacy. By spreading the message, we can all become anti-drug abuse advocates. Spreading the word about the dangers of misuse of drugs can go a long way in shielding more lives from the ruins of illicit drugs. The Island Club can also join in this effort to safeguard the wellbeing of our society from the drug menace.”

He told the gathering of business leaders, students, and parents that since the retooling of NDLEA three years ago after he assumed leadership, the agency has ramped up its drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction efforts, leading to significant results, adding that the call for everyone to support the ongoing effort has become imperative because of the forecast by UNODC in the 2021 World Drug Report that drug use in Africa will rise by 40% in Year 2030, especially among those within 25-29 and 30-34 age groups, as a result of population growth.

He said the enormity of the problem is further reflected by the anti-drug activities of the NDLEA in the past three years. “In just three years, we have arrested 52,901 traffickers, including 52 barons, and 9,034 have been convicted. The barons we have arrested are not anonymous people in society.

“They include big business people and socialites—some of them have chieftaincy titles—and also government officials, including those tasked with maintaining law and order. That tells how deeply the rot had eaten into the fabric of our society. Within the period, we have seized 8.6 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and destroyed 1,572 hectares of cannabis farms,” the NDLEA boss added.