The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has honoured over 280 personnel, commands, civil society organisations and media platforms for outstanding performance and contributions to the fight against illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse in Nigeria.
The recognition was made on Thursday at the 12th edition of the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer’s Commands, Awards and Commendations ceremony held at the agency’s national headquarters on Marwa Street, Jahi District, Abuja.
Speaking at the ceremony, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the event was not merely a ceremony but a reaffirmation of the agency’s commitment to recognising courage, sacrifice and excellence.
Marwa said the more than 280 awardees represented the commitment and sacrifices of personnel working tirelessly to protect Nigerians from the dangers posed by illicit drugs.
“The numbers we celebrate this morning are not just statistics. They are stories,” he said, noting that the achievements reflected the dedication of officers who pursued intelligence leads, dismantled criminal networks and refused to allow drug trafficking operations to thrive.
The NDLEA Chairman highlighted three major operations which, according to him, captured the character of the agency’s ongoing campaign against drug trafficking.
He cited the dismantling of the Amadi Simon drug cartel, allegedly led by a Nigerian based in Switzerland, as one of the agency’s major successes.
According to Marwa, the operation was conducted over several months in collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and law enforcement authorities in France, Greece and Switzerland.
He also highlighted the takedown of two Nigerian-Mexican methamphetamine cartels operating in forests in Ogun and Oyo States.
He said the forest locations were deliberately chosen by the criminal groups on the assumption that they were beyond the reach of law enforcement agencies, but NDLEA operatives successfully penetrated the operations through intelligence-led actions.
Marwa further cited the disruption of a tramadol cartel exploiting the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor, describing the route as one that had for years contributed to the opioid abuse crisis among young Nigerians.
“These are only three among many,” he said, stressing that the successes were products of patient intelligence gathering, cross-border cooperation and the determination of officers to go where criminals believed no one would follow.
The NDLEA boss disclosed that nine officers received special commendations for conduct that went beyond the ordinary demands of duty, while 18 commands were recognised as the best across various operational theatres nationwide.
He urged the awardees to see the recognition as motivation for greater service rather than a conclusion to their efforts.
“This is not the finish line,” Marwa said.
In a major highlight of the 12th edition, the agency, for the first time, extended its recognition beyond its personnel to 11 non-governmental organisations and eight media platforms and their reporters for their support in the fight against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Marwa said the decision reflected the agency’s recognition that the drug war could not be won through enforcement alone.
“The fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse was never going to be won by enforcement alone,” he said, adding that NGOs and civil society organisations were helping to steer young people away from addiction, while journalists were bringing critical stories on trafficking, rehabilitation and recovery to the public.
He described civil society and media organisations as a “multiplier effect” on the agency’s work, noting that they had helped take anti-drug messages into homes, schools and communities that enforcement personnel alone could not reach.
Marwa, however, acknowledged that many other NGOs, civil society organisations, media platforms and stakeholders across the country were equally deserving of recognition.
He said the awards programme would continue in subsequent editions to honour more individuals and organisations contributing to the national drug control campaign.
The NDLEA Chairman described the fight against illicit drugs as a generational responsibility, warning that dismantled cartels could be replaced by new criminal networks and that traffickers would continue to search for alternative routes.
“For every cartel we dismantle, intelligence tells us another will attempt to rise. For every corridor we shut down, traffickers will search for another route,” he said.
“Our task, therefore, is not to declare victory. It is to remain relentless.”
He urged NDLEA personnel to make the achievements of the awardees their standard, while calling on civil society and media partners to deepen their collaboration with the agency.
Marwa also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his continued support and encouragement to the agency.
Earlier, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, said the ceremony was organised to celebrate excellence, outstanding performance and innovative contributions across the agency.
She said professionalism, punctuality, discipline and dedication to duty remained the cornerstone of the NDLEA’s institutional success.
According to her, the achievements recorded by the agency were strengthened by collaboration with government institutions, non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, international partners, the media and other stakeholders.
She said such partnerships had enhanced intelligence sharing, community engagement, drug demand reduction programmes and overall service delivery.
She congratulated the 283 awardees, describing their recognition as a testament to their dedication, innovation and commitment to the NDLEA’s mandate.
Responding on behalf of the recognised organisations, Dr. Hilary Abwa, President of Great Achievers Initiative for Youth and Community Development, expressed appreciation to the NDLEA leadership for recognising the organisation’s work focused on the boy child and drug abuse prevention.
Abwa said the organisation had been working since 2022 to sensitise boys and young people against drug abuse, describing the recognition as an encouragement to intensify its efforts.
Similarly, Ambassador Omar Mohamed, Deputy Lead Convener of the Drug Free Arewa Movement, thanked the NDLEA leadership for the award and pledged renewed commitment to the campaign against substance abuse.
He said the organisation was promoting the message of “yes to life” and “no to drug abuse” through sensitisation, education, treatment and prevention.
Mohamed said the recognition had become a challenge for the organisation to do more towards making the Arewa region increasingly drug-free.
An NDLEA officer with Directorate of Media and Advocacy unit, Comfort Folorunso,who received a commendation also pledged renewed dedication to duty, saying the recognition of hard work should translate into greater responsibility and commitment to the growth of the agency.
The ceremony was attended by NDLEA management officials, serving and retired directors, commanders, officers, awardees, family members, civil society representatives, media organisations and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s drug control campaign.
