The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) Nigeria has commended President Bola Tinubu over the reappointment of Brig-Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) as the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for another term of five years, a decision the council says will further strengthen and consolidate the ongoing effort against substance use and illicit drug trafficking.
National President of NCWS, Edna Azura, who gave the commendation when she led other leaders of the council on a courtesy visit to Marwa at NDLEA national headquarters in Abuja, called for more collaboration between the women’s group and the agency in the area of joint sensitisation programmes in schools, markets and communities as well as training of women leaders in drug abuse prevention, treatment and care.
“We appreciate Tinubu for this wonderful opportunity that he has given you extra five years. We are very grateful. This renewal is a clear national endorsement of your monumental contributions to national security, public health, women and youth protection. We are confident that your continued leadership will further fortify the nation’s fight against drug trafficking and promote sustainable peace and stability,” she noted.
She described Marwa’s leadership at NDLEA as transformative and inspiring.
“Over the years, you have demonstrated what strong ethical and visionary public service truly means. Under your leadership, the agency has recorded unprecedented achievements from dismantling sophisticated drug trafficking networks to intercepting record level quantities of illicit substances, improving intelligence-driven operations, expanding community-based preventive education and strengthening rehabilitation pathways for victims of substance abuse. We are very grateful for that. These achievements are not just institutional milestones; they represent hope for millions of families, especially women and children, who often suffer the silent painful consequences of drug-related crimes, domestic challenges and societal instability,” she stated.
While seeking further partnership with NDLEA in the fight against the drug scourge, Azura said: “At NCWS, we have also been actively mobilising women, mothers, teachers and community groups to participate in the fight against substance abuse.
Our ongoing school outreach programmes, advocacy forums and community sensitisation campaigns across the states have proven that when women are fully engaged, prevention becomes more effective.”
She expressed the NCWS eagerness to explore strategic areas of cooperation with NDLEA, including training of the council’s national officers and state leaders as community anti-drug ambassadors; joint advocacy campaigns targeting mothers and caregivers; rehabilitation and reintegration, especially for women and youths affected by substance abuse, among others.
Responding, Marwa expressed appreciation to the NCWS leaders for the visit and their kind remarks about him and Tinubu.
He said as the umbrella body for all women societies across the country, it is imperative for NDLEA to partner with the NCWS.
The former Military Administrator of Lagos said NDLEA “considers the drug menace as Nigeria’s number one problem because it affects everyone and every community directly or indirectly,” adding that with a population of about 15 million drug users, there is the need for a whole of society response.
“So, this is a big challenge, and government cannot handle it alone; we must have the whole of society to work with us. So, NCWS, we don’t have any bigger partners than you because you are the mothers handling families all over the country, and it is very critical that you stand up. You have to stand up and be part of this struggle to redeem the souls of our young boys and girls, as well as women leaders that the NDLEA will not only partner with them but will equally organise Drug Use Prevention, Treatment and Care (DPTC) training to equip them for the task ahead in 2026.
“We will hold a DPTC training for you. We usually do that for governors’ spouses and I think we will tailor it to exactly what you will need, so that you can also take it down to the states, and down to the grassroots.”
He urged them to also buy in and take ownership of the present push for drug integrity test for intending couples as part of efforts to discourage substance abuse and encourage early detection and treatment, especially among the youth.
