It is not surprising that the announcement of Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa’s re-appointment as Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday, 14th November, has once again sent a powerful and mixed signal across the country.

For ordinary citizens, the news comes as reassurance that the fight against narcotics will not lose momentum. But for drug barons and trafficking syndicates, it is nothing short of a renewed nightmare because Marwa’s first term clearly marked a historic level of seizures, arrests, dismantling of clandestine laboratories, and dislodgement of major drug cartels that had infiltrated every facet of society.

I have witnessed his leadership restore public confidence in NDLEA and demonstrate that Nigeria can confront organised criminal enterprises with both courage and strategy. I believe his return to office will not only ensure that the pressure on drug traffickers continues but will intensify, because the handlers of illicit drug networks know that with Marwa at the helm, there will be no breathing space.

During his first term, we all saw an NDLEA that became more active, more visible, and more effective. The constant interception of drugs at airports, seaports, and highways showed that traffickers no longer had the freedom they once enjoyed.

The updates from NDLEA, through weekly press releases, demonstrate that the Agency remains consistently active, committed, and proactive in its efforts to curb the drug menace across the country.

The re-appointment by the President is therefore more than an administrative decision; it is a national security victory. It guarantees that the gains recorded will be sustained and expanded, making Nigeria an increasingly hostile territory for drug peddlers and their dangerous operations.

 Marwa’s second term also represents continuity of reforms, vigilance, and operational excellence. His re-appointment is therefore a victory for public health, national security, and Nigeria’s global reputation as a country determined to confront the drug menace head-on.

For the first time in a long while, Nigeria has a leader who understands the strategies of traffickers and is committed to shutting down their operations. Marwa’s leadership has also helped break the myth that certain drug traffickers were “untouchable.”

Marwa’s re-appointment is therefore a lifeline to a generation that seeks guidance, protection, and a drug-free environment.

Tosin Damola,

Lokoja, Kogi State

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