The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday honoured 166 officers and 17 commands for exceptional service, as its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), revealed that the Agency recorded 77,792 arrests, 14,225 convictions, and seized over 14.8 million kilograms of illicit drugs in the last five years.
The awards were presented at the 11th Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CCEO) Awards and Commendation Ceremony held at the NDLEA National Headquarters in Abuja, marking what Marwa described as a clear demonstration that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for drug cartels and traffickers.
Speaking at the ceremony, Marwa said the honoured officers and commands exemplified courage, integrity and professionalism, noted that their dedication formed the backbone of the Agency’s operational successes since 2021, including the arrest of 128 identified drug barons linked to major trafficking networks.
He explained that the seizures, totalling 14,847,486.34 kilograms of assorted illicit substances, significantly disrupted local and transnational supply chains, while sustained prosecutions reinforced deterrence and accountability within the criminal justice system.
Marwa added that the Agency pursued a balanced approach by strengthening drug demand reduction efforts, disclosing that 32,442 drug users benefited from counselling, treatment and rehabilitation programmes, alongside 13,735 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities carried out nationwide.
The NDLEA boss expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support and the extension of the current leadership’s mandate, describing it as a call to intensify the war against drug abuse and trafficking.
He charged officers of the Agency to prepare for more tactically sophisticated operations, urged them to sustain pressure on drug barons, traffickers and couriers, while describing the awards as a motivation tool embedded in NDLEA’s corporate culture.
NDLEA Boss also acknowledged the contributions of international partners, sister agencies, civil society organisations and the media, calling for deeper strategic collaboration to protect Nigerian communities and the nation’s youth.
