Chief Executive Officer of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has warned against internal sabotage in the agency’s renewed war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
Marwa gave the warning at the 2023 passing out parade of the newly-trained 2,500 cadets of the Senior Officers Basic Course 16 on Thursday in Jos.
He called on the cadets to prepare their minds for the task ahead of them, as there would be no room for compromising the agency’s ethics and goals.
“We cannot afford to decelerate our efforts in the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Therefore, you must prepare your minds for the task ahead of you, not to be found wanting in the discharge of your responsibilities.
“The duties are such that there is no room for compromising the ethics of your profession or subverting the goals of the organisation, as the agency wouldn’t tolerate sabotage from within,” he said.
Marwa, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Victoria Egbase, said that their duty was to do everything within the ambit of the law to cleanse the society of the menace of illicit substances.
He lamented that in the last 30 years, the world of illicit drugs had become complex and more devastating to the society, while the dynamics of the Nigerian drug situation had become direr.
According to him, the passing out parade is one of the manifestations of the ongoing restructuring in the agency to strengthen its workforce to fight the abuse and trafficking of drugs and illicit substances.
He said that the officers had been trained to be efficient drug law enforcement agents, as they were taught the intricacies of drug law enforcement, which demanded sacrifice, loyalty and discipline.
“I have no doubt that they are aware of their position as an important cog in the law and order system of society,” he said.
The chief executive officer, while welcoming the new Assistant Superintendents of Narcotics, said that the agency had become proactive through the creation goal-oriented programmes and efficient mechanisms, such as the Offensive Action and War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy.
Marwa thanked the Plateau government for providing a conducive atmosphere for the four-month training.
Earlier, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Hon. Abass Agboworin, commended the agency for the feat, saying that the agency had a wider reach to curb the drug menace.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that awards were given to outstanding cadets at the ceremony graced by Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, represented by his deputy, Josephine Piyo, traditional rulers and representatives of other security agencies. (NAN)
