House Committee Chair likens Marwa’s NDLEA to Akunyili’s NAFDAC era

The efficiency of the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) has been likened to that of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili when she was at the helm of affairs at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

This comparison was made by the Chairman of the Narcotic Drugs Committee of the House of Representatives, Hon. Francis Ottah Agbo while attesting to the progress made in the anti-drug crusade in the country.

Agbo, who represents Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency and also is spokesperson the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, praised Marwa for sanitizing the health sector by intercepting large quantities of narcotic drugs and substandard drugs across the country.

The lawmaker, who stated this while interacting with journalists in his office recently, said the NDLEA boss had in less than six months of assuming office, succeeded in getting the agency back on track to performance, by bursting many drug rings and syndicates, as well as seizing and destroying large quantities of illicit drugs.

Advertisement

He said the NDLEA under the leadership of the former Military Administrator of Lagos State, was reminiscent of the days of Prof. Dora Akunyili in NAFDAC when fake, expired drugs and substandard food brands were drastically reduced to the admiration of all and sundry.

The lawmaker said the coming of Marwa had made it clear to Nigerians that the problem of drug trafficking and substance abuse was real and needed all hands to be on deck to combat them.

Agbo said that efforts of Marwa had shown that with courage and determination, the fight against drug addiction could be won.

He said: “I’ve been an advocate of optimum, staffing, equipping and funding the NDLEA to achieve its statutory mandate due to the menace of substance abuse and drug addiction in the country.

“I have said several times that the NDLEA needs all the support to carry out its mandate but I’m surprised that even with the little on ground, the agency, under the able leadership of Gen. Buba Marwa, has been able to achieve a lot by taking the fight to the criminals and this has given me the confidence as chairman of the Narcortic Drugs Committee to further push for the necessary incentives for the agency to function at optimal level.

“Clearly, it is very clear that Marwa is the new Sheriff in town and he has proved this by clearing the doubt of drug barons, syndicates and trafficker”

NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa(retd) had, in March 2021, disclosed before the House of Representatives on Narcotic Drugs that his agency intercepted and destroyed illicit drugs worth over N60 billion within three months of his assuming office.

The NDLEA recently also, seized 140 grammes of Methamphetamine packaged in the statue of Mary and another 500 grammes of heroin concealed in auto spare parts heading to Canada were also intercepted at a second courier company.

The NDLEA recently also arrested 31 suspects in Ondo State for being in possession of 276 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs and intercepted 834.5 kilogrammes illicit drugs en-route U.S. in Lagos and still counting.