By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa has directed NDLEA commanders nationwide to smoke out drug barons still in hiding in their areas of responsibility.

Marwa, who gave the directive at a meeting with NDLEA commanders in charge of Zones, States and Area Commanders, that they must dismantle the drug cartels and totally cut off drug supply to criminals.

”This will be as part and parcel of the solution to the security challenges facing the nation, because, if we are able to totally cut the access to and availability of drugs to the criminals, we would have effectively tampered with their nefarious activities.”

Marwa commended the commanding officers for the unprecedented successes achieved so far and tasked them not to rest on their oars.

He said that no effort must be spared to remove illicit drug equation from the security challenges facing the country.

According to Marwa, the Agency has within the limit of its resources, pushed boundaries to reduce the menace of drugs in the country.

“The statistics of our operations, empirical facts from the field, the general anti-illicit drug climate we have built and the rapport between us and our domestic and international partners, all speak volumes about how we are faring.

“This, especially against the backdrop of where we are coming from, of what the situation used to be a few years ago.”

The NDLEA chairman, however, said much more needed to be done to sanitise the country from the menace of illicit drugs and substances.

“Commendations apart, we also cannot afford not to tell ourselves the plain truth; we still have a long way to go. Hence commanders, officers and men of NDLEA can’t afford to rest on their oars.

“Yes, we have kept the flag of performance flying, but there’s still room for improvement. There is still much to do, and we cannot afford to be complacent now as we have committed to a lot of ongoing efforts to improve our operational capabilities,” he added.

Marwa said that the agency had constantly engaged stakeholders within and outside the country to optimise its capabilities.

“So, if anything, our performance should justify these ongoing efforts, we need to remind ourselves that to achieve our mandate, professionalism and discipline must be maintained at all times and in all our operations.”

According to him, the agency is soliciting for improved funding to comprehensively and holistically play its role.

”So, we are going to plead for enhanced funding to do more things in support of the fight against insecurity.

“I trust that the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, will give us a listening ear because he is interested in the progress of the NDLEA,” he said.

The NDLEA boss told the commanders that for the agency to raise its performance in 2024, they must be ready to sweep illicit drugs off the Nigerian space.

“We must clean our streets and communities of illicit substances; we all are witnesses to the upsurge in the cases of kidnapping and such vices, this means NDLEA must remain upstanding.

“For those who have been watching and listening recently, there is another demand by kidnappers and bandits aside money, which is drugs.

“In that sense, it means NDLEA is working because they don’t ask for it before, meaning that they’re no longer as available as they used to be and the prices of those available have gone beyond their reach,” he said. (NAN)

•Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa

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