Brigadier-General Marwa Secures Second Term as NDLEA Chairman in Major Anti-Drug Push
In a decisive move signaling continuity in Nigeria’s war against narcotics, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reappointed Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retired) as Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for a second five-year term, ensuring his leadership until 2031.
A Legacy of Leadership and a Renewed Mandate
The reappointment solidifies Marwa’s position at the helm of the nation’s premier anti-drug agency, following a first term that saw unprecedented seizures and arrests. This political endorsement comes from a leader with a unique historical connection to Marwa; President Tinubu succeeded him as the elected Governor of Lagos State back in May 1999.
Marwa, who was first appointed to the NDLEA in January 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, brought with him a wealth of experience from his prior role as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA) from 2018 to 2020.
Distinguished Career and Academic Pedigree
A native of Adamawa State, Marwa’s career is a tapestry of military and diplomatic service. A product of the Nigerian Military School and the Nigerian Defence Academy, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1973. His distinguished service record includes roles as Brigade Major of the 23 Armoured Brigade, Aide-de-Camp to former Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant-General Theophilus Danjuma, and Academic Registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
On the international stage, he served as Deputy Defence Adviser at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and later as Defence Adviser to the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations. His academic credentials are equally impressive, holding a Master of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.
Unprecedented Results in the Fight Against Drugs
The question on many minds is: what has Marwa’s leadership truly achieved? The statistics speak volumes. Under his command, the NDLEA has been remarkably proactive, arresting over 73,000 drug traffickers and kingpins. The agency has also confiscated a staggering 15 million kilogrammes of various illicit substances, dealing significant blows to narcotics networks across the country.
Beyond enforcement, his tenure has been marked by a robust, nationwide public campaign aimed at curbing drug abuse, addressing the issue from both supply and demand angles.
A Presidential Vote of Confidence
In a statement delivered by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu left no doubt about the reason for the renewal. “Your reappointment is a vote of confidence in your onerous efforts to rid our country of the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse,” the President stated.
He issued a clear directive to the retained chairman, urging him, “not to relent in tracking the merchants of hard drugs, out to destroy our people, especially the young ones.” This renewed mandate places the responsibility squarely on Marwa’s shoulders to build upon his first-term successes and further secure the nation’s future from the scourge of illicit drugs.
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