The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd), has warned that Nigeria faces serious social and security consequences if the glorification of illicit drug use in popular culture continues unchecked.
Marwa spoke on Thursday at the commissioning of the NDLEA’s radio station, Clean Beat 91.5FM, in Abuja. He described the station as a strategic tool in the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse campaign.
He called on entertainers, influencers, educators, parents, and community leaders to help challenge what he called a toxic pop culture that portrays substance abuse as fashionable and acceptable to young people.
According to Marwa, the fight against drug abuse can no longer rely only on arrests and prosecutions. He said sustained education, prevention, and cultural reorientation are now essential.
“We recognize that behind every statistic of drug abuse is a human being. A vulnerable teenager seeking escape, a broken family searching for answers, a brilliant mind derailed but capable of redirection,” he said.
Clean Beat 91.5FM will provide a counter-narrative by promoting sobriety, recovery stories, and accurate information on the dangers of substance abuse.
Marwa warned that failing to address the cultural normalization of drug abuse could harm national security, public health, and economic productivity.
“If we do not control the narrative today, the consequences tomorrow will be catastrophic. Substance abuse feeds insecurity, decimates public health, cripples economic productivity, and compromises the future of our workforce,” he said.
He described the station as a paradigm shift in the agency’s strategy, noting that radio remains one of the most effective ways to reach Nigerians in homes, markets, and communities.
“While enforcement wins battles, education and prevention win wars. True victory cannot be achieved solely by handcuffs or prison cells,” he added.
The station was launched with support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Broadcasting Commission, and international partners.
Marwa urged Nigerian youths to engage with the station’s programmes and become advocates against drug abuse. “This station is yours. Let us rewrite the story of our generation, guard the health of our nation, and protect the rhythm of our future,” he said.
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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the National Broadcasting Commission, and the National Orientation Agency commended the initiative as a people-centred approach to drug control and national reorientation.
The launch comes amid growing concern over rising drug abuse among Nigerian youths and calls for stronger preventive education to complement law enforcement.
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