NDLEA: 77,792 arrested, 14,225 convicted, 14.8m kg drugs seized in 5 years — Marwa

*As Chairman/CEO honours 166 NDLEA personnel, 17 Commands at bi-annual CCEO awards

*Urges officers to intensify war on drug cartels

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for illicit drug enterprises, says Marwa

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), on Tuesday January 20, 2026, said Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for illicit drug enterprises, citing the arrest of 77,792 suspects, including 128 drug barons, 14,225 convictions, and the seizure of over 14.8 million kilograms of illicit drugs in the past five years.

Marwa disclosed this at the 11th Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CCEO) Awards and Commendation Ceremony held at the NDLEA National Headquarters in Abuja, where 166 officers and 17 Commands were honoured for outstanding performance.

According to him, the figures reflect the agency’s intensified, intelligence-led operations that have disrupted local and transnational drug supply chains. He noted that beyond enforcement, NDLEA strengthened demand-reduction efforts, providing treatment, counselling and rehabilitation to 32,442 drug users, while conducting 13,735 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities nationwide.

Marwa attributed the achievements to discipline, leadership and sustained support from the executive, legislature and judiciary, expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for extending the current leadership’s mandate. He described the extension as a charge to escalate the anti-drug campaign in his second tenure.

Addressing officers, Marwa urged renewed commitment and tactical sophistication in confronting drug cartels, barons and couriers, warning against complacency. He reaffirmed the agency’s objective of total disruption of drug trafficking and protection of communities.

He said the bi-annual CCEO Awards remain a key internal motivation tool to reinforce performance and productivity, encouraging award recipients to see the honour as a call to higher service, while inspiring others to emulate their achievements.

Specifically speaking, General Marwa said, “When I first resumed in 2021, I promised to take the fight to the doorsteps of the merchants of death. Today, the numbers speak for themselves. Through our collective resilience, we have sent a clear message that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for illicit drug enterprise.

“It’s therefore heartwarming to note that in the last five years, we recorded significant operational successes including the arrest of 77,792 drug offenders, including 128 identified drug barons who were central to major trafficking networks. We seized a total of 14,847,486.34 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs, thereby significantly disrupting both local and transnational supply chains.

“In further strengthening the criminal justice response to drug offences, the Agency successfully prosecuted and secured convictions against 14,225 offenders, reinforcing deterrence and affirming that drug crime attracts consequences.

“In line with our balanced approach, the Agency also prioritised drug demand reduction. Through structured treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation programmes, 32,442 drug users received professional intervention. Additionally, 13,735 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities were conducted across schools, motor parks, workplaces, worship centres, and communities, expanding preventive awareness and citizen engagement nationwide”, he stated while highlighting the results of the last half-decade drug control efforts of the Agency under his leadership.

Noting that the achievements would not have been possible without the support of the executive, legislature and the judiciary, Marwa expressed his profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unflinching support and the trust reposed in his leadership. He said that the President’s decision to extend the current leadership’s mandate is a call to escalate the war against drug abuse and trafficking to new heights.

“These achievements are not accidental. They are the result of discipline, leadership, intelligence-led operations, and clear performance expectations. This journey would not have been possible without the unflinching support of the President. I therefore wish to express my profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the absolute trust he has reposed in my leadership and in the entire workforce of this Agency.

“Mr. President’s decision to extend our mandate is a call to more work. We assure him, and indeed all Nigerians, that the successes of the past five years are merely a foundation. In this second tenure, we will escalate the war against drug abuse and trafficking to new heights of efficiency and results”, he stated.

Addressing the officers, men and women of the Agency, Marwa said “the next phase of our operations demands even more grit and more tactical sophistication. We will not rest until every drug baron is behind bars, every trafficker is intercepted, every mule is caught, and every single gram of illicit drug is removed from our streets and communities.

“There is no room for complacency. We must remain proactive, intelligence-led, and ruthless in our pursuit of those who seek to destroy our youth and our national security.

“Let me be clear: the objective of this Agency remains the total disruption of drug trafficking and the protection of our communities. The expectation is sustained pressure until every drug baron, trafficker, courier, and every gram of illicit drugs is taken out of our streets and communities. There will be no retreat and no complacency.”

The 11th CCEO Awards honored gallant personnel who have demonstrated exceptional courage and integrity in the line of duty. Marwa charged the awardees to see their plaques and certificates as reminders that their hard work is valued, while urging the rest of the force to find inspiration in their achievements.

“As we are all aware, the Commands Awards and Commendations is an internal reward mechanism that comes after our bi-annual appraisal. It is enshrined in our corporate culture and acts as a booster to individual and collective commitment to the attainment of organisational goals. I believe that everyone in this organisation is in accord that we now have a sense of urgency towards our assignment.

“There is no gainsaying that our dedication to duty has been the driving force behind our good performance; at the same time, it is also not an exaggeration to say that our good performance is catalysed by motivation. As proven right by events in the past five years, management’s decision to deploy multipronged motivational mechanism to improve the organisation’s work ethic is part of the recipe for the resurgence of the Agency and the resultant spectacular performance. On that score, management is committed to doing everything possible to improve productivity on the job. Part of that effort is why we are here today,” he said.

Marwa also acknowledged the contributions of international partners, sister agencies, civil society and the media, calling for deeper collaboration to sustain gains and safeguard the future of Nigerian youths.