Marwa: Amendment of NDLEA Act to Tackle Drug Scourge

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has stated that the ongoing amendment of the NDLEA Act will significantly enhance the organization’s capability to curb the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Drug Control meeting in Abuja on March 7, 2024, Marwa expressed optimism about the enactment of the act and its subsequent passage into law.

He believes that the amendment will significantly improve the agency’s organizational capability in drug supply reduction.

Marwa acknowledged the funding challenges faced by the agency but remains hopeful that the positive developments, including the amendment of the NDLEA Act, will lend impetus to the attainment of set objectives.

He also highlighted the progress made in the implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) 2021-2025 and the collaboration from stakeholders towards achieving the stated goals of the NDCMP.

Under the Supply Reduction Pillar, the NDLEA has made significant strides in 2023, with the arrest of 13,664 drug traffickers and the seizure of 1.61 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs.

In Drug Demand Reduction, the agency has provided counseling and rehabilitation to 10,904 individuals.

The implementation of the WADA advocacy campaign has been instrumental in reaching different target groups and diffusing shared ownership of the effort to curb the proliferation, trafficking, and abuse of illicit substances in the country.

During the meeting, representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission praised the NDLEA’s efforts and accomplishments in enhancing law enforcement, increasing accessibility to treatment, and rolling out prevention, harm reduction, and Alternative Development initiatives.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control issued a communique at the end of the meeting, calling for governments at all levels and other stakeholders to focus on declaring a State of Emergency in the face of the overwhelming statistics of drug trafficking and abuse and its devastating consequences on public health, the economy, and security.

The amendment of the NDLEA Act is expected to position the anti-narcotics agency to tackle the drug scourge in Nigeria, with the support of various stakeholders and international organizations.