The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), has urged officers to remain resilient as the fight against illicit drugs continues.
Marwa spoke on Thursday, 13th August 2026, at the 12th Chairman/Chief Executive Officer’s Commendations and Awards ceremony at the Agency’s national headquarters in Abuja.
He honoured 274 personnel for outstanding performance. The NDLEA also recognised 18 best-performing commands and 19 NGOs and media organisations for their commitment to the war against drug abuse (WADA) advocacy in Nigeria.
Marwa said the drug war has no end date. “It is a generational responsibility,” he said, noting that new cartels could emerge after the Agency dismantles existing ones.
Marwa said the fight against drug trafficking cannot rely on enforcement alone, adding the NGOs help young people avoid addiction, while journalists report on trafficking routes, rehabilitation and families recovering from drug abuse.
He described the recognition as “the beginning of a tradition, not a closed chapter.”
However, he said future editions would identify and honour more individuals and organisations making similar contributions.
Marwa said civil society groups and the media had helped the Agency reach homes, schools and communities beyond the reach of its officers.
Marwa cited the dismantling of the Amadi Simon drug cartel as one of the Agency’s major operations, mentioning the take down of two Nigerian-Mexican methamphetamine cartels operating in forests in Ogun and Oyo States.
He also highlighted the disruption of a tramadol cartel using the Togo–Benin Republic–Nigeria corridor.
He said the route had for years contributed to opioid abuse among Nigerian youths.
“These were not simple raids,” Marwa said, while he attributed the successes to patient intelligence-gathering, cross-border cooperation and officers willing to pursue criminals into difficult areas.
Marwa urged NDLEA officers to see the award recipients as a standard to reach for, not a limit to their efforts.
He also asked civil society partners and the media to see the recognition as an invitation to do more.
He congratulated all recipients and thanked their families and Nigerians for continuing to trust the Agency.
External links
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
World Health Organization (WHO)
