Thursday, September 18, 2025
  • Who’sWho Africa AWARDS
  • About Time Africa Magazine
  • Contact Us
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • Magazine
  • World News

Home » Featured » SMACKDOWN: Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency, NDLEA goes tougher on drug cartels, barons

SMACKDOWN: Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency, NDLEA goes tougher on drug cartels, barons

January 22, 2023
in Featured, News
0
540
SHARES
4.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has warned that unrepentant drug barons and cartels will face tougher times in 2023 if they fail to back out of the illicit drug business.

Marwa gave the warning at a press briefing at the NDLEA national headquarters, Abuja to update the public on efforts by the Agency to rid the country of illicit substance abuse and drug trafficking on the second anniversary of his leadership of the anti-narcotics body.

According to him, “Last year, I issued a New Year appeal to them and also warned that those who refused to heed the warning will find themselves in a difficult situation. Already, we have 34 barons in our net and they are facing the music in court.

“We have secured orders for the temporary forfeiture of their assets. With our prosecution being topnotch, they can look forward to a long time in prison and final forfeiture of their wealth and assets. Those involved in the illicit drug trade should take a cue from our actions. They can again look forward to a tough time this year.

ReadAlso

Babangida Aliyu to Chair Planning Committee for 6th Zik Annual Award Lectures

Nigeria’s wasting maritime assets

“The signs are clear: we have already in the first two weeks of this year taken down three major drug cartels, one of which has built extensive networks across the world while at least six of their kingpins are in our custody as I speak. The details you will get to know in the coming days. In these two years, we arrested 26, 458 drug traffickers, among them, 34 barons. In 24 months, we successfully prosecuted 3,733 offenders who were convicted and handed various jail terms in court. Of the conviction figure, 2,346 were recorded in 2022 alone, which is the highest in the history of the Agency and almost doubled the highest ever recorded in the 33 years of NDLEA. This is not happenchance but a result of professionalism, determination, commitment and hard work of our officers, men and women.”

Describing 2022 as an epoch year, Marwa said, “We took a giant leap in drug demand reduction with the establishment and commissioning of the NDLEA drug abuse call centre which broadened access to treatment and rehabilitation. It was a year we had unprecedented support too, notably from the Governors’ Wives Forum which made commitments to broaden and deepen social efforts to ameliorate the consequences of drug abuse.

ADVERTISEMENT

We also had support from our international partners, chiefly the UNODC, counterparts and governments of the United States, France, Germany, United Kingdom, India, and South Korea. The support came in the form of donations of equipment, training, intelligence and other logistics.”

While assuring Nigerians that the Agency is firmly on the task of making Nigeria safe from illicit substances, the NDLEA boss said such may sound like impossibility but “it is achievable.” Laying bare how to realise his goal, he said, “At our end, we will sustain our Offensive Action and shut down the pipeline from other countries into Nigeria. We shall broaden access to treatment and rehabilitation, and we will continue to carry Nigerians along on this journey to curb the trafficking and abuse of substances in Nigeria.”

He warned citizens to be wary in their dealings with people of questionable wealth. “The anticipated amendment of the NDLEA Act will be this year and that will strengthen the arm of our agency in its drug law enforcement. We look forward to arresting more barons and the 34 in the net presently will know their fate in court in the weeks and months ahead.

“The Proceed of Crime Act 2022 enacted last year has given us new leverage. And I will like to remind those who benefit from the proceeds of drug crimes, this time, families, friends and associates, that our investigations are thorough and where we find any link between a drug baron and private citizens, we shall scrutinize their assets. The onus is now on every citizen, to be honest in their financial dealings with people whose source of wealth is suspect.”

He expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders for their support in the total transformation of the Agency. “We owe a lot of people and institutions gratitude for the turnaround of the NDLEA. First of all, President Muhammadu Buhari, for his tireless support which has been the driving force for change in the country’s drug use narrative. All that has been achieved so far and ongoing efforts are part of the President Buhari administration’s agenda for a better country.

“We similarly, appreciate the efforts of the National Assembly, through the two committees in the Senate and House of Representatives that have oversight of the Agency. We also deeply appreciate the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, the UNODC, our foreign partners and sister agencies who have all in one way or the other been catalysts to the NDLEA productivity in the past two years. Again, special commendations for our officers, men and women who are daily risking their lives in the forests, on the streets and dangerous terrains across the country chasing merchants of death and mopping up illicit substances. You’re all heroes!”

Tags: DrugsMohamed Buba MarwaNarcoticsNDLEANigeria
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Obi understands’: young Nigerians swell support of presidential hopeful

Next Post

N625b Oil Derivation Refunds: Wike, Okowa, Obaseki, Ayade, Diri, Uzodimma, Akeredolu, Udom, Ikpeazu in trouble as court okays suit seeking account

You MayAlso Like

News

Babangida Aliyu to Chair Planning Committee for 6th Zik Annual Award Lectures

September 17, 2025
Column

Nigeria’s wasting maritime assets

September 17, 2025
Freight trains at Nairobi station Credit: Ben Marlow
Column

All aboard ‘The Debt Express’: China’s pincer movement on Africa

September 13, 2025
News

Congo: 107 Dead, 146 Missing in Tragic Riverboat Fire

September 13, 2025
News

South Sudan Vice-President charged with murder, treason

September 13, 2025
‘We were treated like animals,’ says Al-Husseina Amadou said. ‘Now we are free.’ Some estimates put the number of enslaved people in Niger at 130,000. Photograph: Fred Harter
Featured

‘TRIANGLE OF SHAME’: Niger Where Girls Are Still Bought Cheaply As ‘Wahaya’

September 13, 2025
Next Post

N625b Oil Derivation Refunds: Wike, Okowa, Obaseki, Ayade, Diri, Uzodimma, Akeredolu, Udom, Ikpeazu in trouble as court okays suit seeking account

King Charles Coronation plans announced

Discussion about this post

How Gen Z Protestors Chose Nepal’s First Woman Prime Minister On Discord

Air Peace Pilots Test Positive for Alcohol, Cannabis After Port Harcourt Runway Overshoot

‘We Got Him’: FBI Confirms Tyler Robinson, Suspect in Charlie Kirk Killing, Has Been Caught

‘TRIANGLE OF SHAME’: Niger Where Girls Are Still Bought Cheaply As ‘Wahaya’

The viral pregnancy hoax that shocked the internet wasn’t real

Israel ‘killed any hope’ for hostages with attack on Doha, says Qatari prime minister

  • British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

    1241 shares
    Share 496 Tweet 310
  • Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

    1066 shares
    Share 426 Tweet 267
  • Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

    972 shares
    Share 389 Tweet 243
  • ‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

    904 shares
    Share 361 Tweet 226
  • Crisis echoes, fears grow in Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu State

    735 shares
    Share 294 Tweet 184
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

April 13, 2023

Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

December 27, 2022
Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

September 22, 2023
‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

March 21, 2023
Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu, wife of Willie Obiano, former governor of Anambra state

NIGERIA: No, wife of Biafran warlord, Bianca Ojukwu lied – Ebele Obiano:

0

SOUTH AFRICA: TO LEAVE OR NOT TO LEAVE?

0
kelechi iheanacho

TOP SCORER: IHEANACHA

0
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

WHAT CAN’TBE TAKEN AWAY FROM JONATHAN

0

Babangida Aliyu to Chair Planning Committee for 6th Zik Annual Award Lectures

September 17, 2025

Nigeria’s wasting maritime assets

September 17, 2025

The viral pregnancy hoax that shocked the internet wasn’t real

September 14, 2025
Two teenagers were sentenced to 12 years of hard labour in the gulag for watching banned South Korean TVCredit: BBC

North Korea executing more people for watching foreign movies

September 14, 2025

ABOUT US

Time Africa Magazine

TIME AFRICA MAGAZINE is an African Magazine with a culture of excellence; a magazine without peer. Nearly a third of its readers hold advanced degrees and include novelists, … READ MORE >>

SECTIONS

  • Aviation
  • Column
  • Crime
  • Europe
  • Featured
  • Gallery
  • Health
  • Interviews
  • Israel-Hamas
  • Lifestyle
  • Magazine
  • Middle-East
  • News
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • Russia-Ukraine
  • Science
  • Special Report
  • Sports
  • TV/Radio
  • UAE
  • UK
  • US
  • World News

Useful Links

  • AllAfrica
  • Channel Africa
  • El Khabar
  • The Guardian
  • Cairo Live
  • Le Republicain
  • Magazine: 9771144975608
  • Subscribe to TIME AFRICA biweekly news magazine

    Enjoy handpicked stories from around African continent,
    delivered anywhere in the world

    Subscribe

    • About Time Africa Magazine
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS

    © 2025 Time Africa Magazine - All Right Reserved. Time Africa is a trademark of Times Associates, registered in the U.S, & Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
    • Politics
    • Column
    • Interviews
    • Gallery
    • Lifestyle
    • Special Report
    • Sports
    • TV/Radio
    • Aviation
    • Health
    • Science
    • World News

    © 2025 Time Africa Magazine - All Right Reserved. Time Africa is a trademark of Times Associates, registered in the U.S, & Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.