The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has called on traditional institutions, parents, and community leaders across Nigeria to join the Agency in combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Marwa made the call while speaking as Chairman of the 10th Anniversary of Akinale Day and the 1st Coronation Anniversary of Oba Oluseyi Ayodeji Adewole Adediran, Otileta I, Towulade of Owu Akinale, held at Baptist Primary School, Owu Akinale, Ogun State, on Saturday.
He described his attendance as a pilgrimage of friendship, respect, and deep-seated admiration, recalling that his close relationship with the monarch spans nearly two decades, dating back to Oba Adediran’s days as leader of the Lisabi Youths.
Marwa commended the traditional ruler’s leadership qualities, noting that the same virtues he displayed as a youth leader now guide his reign on the throne of Owu Akinale.
Speaking on his primary mandate as NDLEA Chairman, Marwa warned that drug abuse does not discriminate, affecting the rich and the poor, as well as urban and rural communities alike. He urged parents to return to the core values of parenting by monitoring their children and watching for early behavioural changes.
He appealed directly to youths to reject illicit drugs, describing substance abuse as a false escape that multiplies, rather than solves problems.
The NDLEA boss also charged the Royal Council and community leaders in Owu Akinale to establish community-based advocacy networks to make the town a hostile environment for drug peddlers while providing support for those struggling with substance use dependence.
He stressed that the Agency cannot win the war against drugs without the partnership of traditional institutions and monarchs who understand the dynamics affecting young people.
Referring to the recent discovery of industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratories operated by a Nigerian-Mexican cartel in the forests of Ogun and Oyo States, Marwa urged royal fathers and community leaders in the South-West and across the country to pay close attention to the activities of strangers in their forests.
He added that anyone seeking to buy farmland in rural communities must be properly vetted.
The event was attended by dignitaries, including political leaders, prominent traditional rulers, and other guests.
