Buba Marwa, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has warned drug cartels that his second tenure will be “h*ll” for them.
On Friday, President Bola Tinubu renewed Marwa’s appointment as NDLEA chairman by another five years, which will end in 2031.
Marwa, a former military governor of Lagos, was first appointed to the position by the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2021, after serving as the chairman of the presidential advisory committee for the elimination of drug abuse from 2018 to 2020.
In a statement released on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said officials of the agency gathered at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja to welcome Marwa following his reappointment.
Babafemi said Marwa commended Tinubu, Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, and Wale Edun, minister of finance, for their support.
He said the NDLEA boss warned those engaging in illicit drug trafficking to desist from the criminal business and embrace legitimate enterprise.
“First of all, what a surprise; I did not expect to come back from the Jumat service to meet these great felicitations, dancing and singing by our personnel,” the statement reads.
“First, this word must go to the cartels. The cartels have not seen anything yet. I promise them this second tenure is going to be h*ll and bleak for them. Drugs shall not pass in or out of or within Nigeria.
“At the same time, I must appeal to those who are engaged in illicit drug trafficking that this is the right time for them to drop that criminal business and face something legitimate.
“It is in line with that that we established the Alternative Development Unit, which seeks to persuade those who are perpetrating the illicit drug activities, particularly cannabis growers, who are our greatest challenge in Nigeria, to desist from the habit, collaborate with us.”
