NDLEA Warns Against Internal Sabotage as 2,500 New Officers Graduate
In a stern warning, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), has cautioned against any form of internal sabotage in the ongoing war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
Femi Babafemi Director, Media & Advocacy of the Agency disclosed in a press statement issued to newsmen.
Marwa issued the warning during the passing out ceremony of 2,500 additional cadets of Senior Officers Basic Course 16, held on Thursday, November 30, 2023, at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State.
The ceremony marked the completion of the agency’s recruitment of 5,000 new personnel, aimed at bolstering its workforce and intensifying its efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking in the country.
Addressing the newly graduated officers, Marwa emphasized the importance of their role in safeguarding society from the detrimental effects of illicit drugs.
“In our renewed campaign against illicit drugs, we are at a stage of ramped-up interdiction against cannabis, opioids, and other psychoactive substances. We cannot afford to decelerate our effort and we will not tolerate sabotage from within,” he declared.
Marwa urged the new officers to uphold the highest ethical standards and remain unwavering in their commitment to the agency’s mission.
“What that means is that the injection of an additional 5,000 officers must have an immediate and far-reaching impact on the campaign. In other words: everyone must make their effort count,” he asserted.
He also highlighted the growing international recognition of the dangers of cannabis, citing recent statements by prominent individuals who have acknowledged its harmful effects.
“We have seen the truth come back full circle in the past few weeks, whereby some of the world’s known abusers of cannabis have come out to tell the public they are either quitting or have been diagnosed with some ailment, notably emphysema, which puts them at risk of early death and mental harm,” he stated.
Marwa reiterated the agency’s unwavering commitment to eradicating the menace of illicit drugs from society.
“For us in NDLEA, we hold our duty sacrosanct, and our duty is to do everything within the ambit of the law to cleanse our society of the menace of illicit substances,” he declared.
He commended the leadership of the NDLEA Academy and its team of instructors for the success of the training program, which has resulted in the graduation of 10,000 cadets in less than two years.
The passing out ceremony was graced by distinguished guests, including the Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Josephine Chundung Piyo; Chairman, House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Hon. Abass Adigun Agboworin; and representatives of various security agencies.
