Salient lessons from renewed war against drugs under Marwa
Before the appointment of Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), a fomer Military Administrator of Lagos State as the Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in January 2021, it was like this security agency created to fight drug trafficking and abuse of narcotics substances has long died and buried.
Marwa’s coming on board the leadership of NDLEA has been like that of the tenure of Late Prof Dora Akunyili as the Director-General of NAFDAC when the criminals smiling to banks due to their flourishing fake drugs business had only two options of either quitting the shady business sending thousands of Nigerians to their early graves annually or spend the better part of their lives behind the bars.
It is no more news that the Adamawa born military General has taken the battle to fight drug trafficking and abuse of substance to a new height pummelling these barons and drug cartels with so many of them now paying for their acts of wickedness and illegality behind the bars.
Hardly will a day go by without the exploits of the new proactive NDLEA being reported in the media giving these sworn enemies of the state a bloodied nose.
One has got to be excited over these reports because of the devastating effect of drug trafficking and substance abuse on our security as well as our socio-economic development. A thin line is said to have separated drug abuse and trafficking from all sorts of criminalities. It then follows that if the heat is turn on the undesirable elements indulging in drug, a lot would have been achieved too in fighting organised crimes like terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery among others.
Recently, it was reported that within two and half years that Marwa took charge of this drug battle, 5,147 drug offenders, including 35 drug barons have been successfully prosecuted and convicted. It was also disclosed that within this period, 31,675 people were also arrested for drug-related offenses.
Marwa, represented by the Agency’s Secretary, Shedrack Haruna was said to have made the disclosure at a briefing to announce the flag off of activities to mark the 2023 United Nation, UN, Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking of Illicit Drugs.
The NDLEA boss was quoted to have said that “In 29 months, we have arrested 31, 675 drug offenders, including 35 barons; successfully prosecuted and got convicted 5,147 of them, and over 11,000 other cases still pending in court, while 23,725 drug users had been counseled and rehabilitated, majority of them through brief interventions.”
He disclosed further that, “At least 6.3 million kilograms of various illicit substances have been recovered in response to efforts to sweep up drugs and shut down the distribution channels while 852.142 hectares of cannabis farms and three clandestine methamphetamine laboratories have been destroyed.”
Marwa at another forum recently said that the war against drug abuse must be total and supported by all because the menace is now assuming a frightening dimension in the country with over 14.3 million Nigerians, aged 15-64, using psychoactive substances, adding that the most common drug of use is cannabis, followed by pharmaceutical opioids, cocaine and heroine.
The national drug use survey was said to have revealed that one out of every four users of drug is a female buttressing the fact that the malaise transcends gender issues.
With all the scary statistics being rolled out, it just goes to show that the war against drugs must be total and comprehensive while those involved in this illegal acts should be comprehensively punished too given the trouble they are heaping on the society.
Such comprehensive approach should include prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration with families and the larger society, while treatment and rehabilitation services should be accessible, affordable and culturally sensitive.
There may also be the need to infuse drug education and life skills into school subjects and provide preventive drug education to help youths understand dangers inherent in abuse and illicit trafficking.
It is the strong opinion out there that the future of Nigerian youths is closely tied to how society addresses the issues of drug abuse as it is essential to empower young people by providing them with quality education, skill development, employment opportunities, access to healthcare and social support systems.
However, one good thing to take away from the success story the country seems to be recording in war against drug trafficking and substance abuse is not unconnected with having the right person with the right mindset and sheer courage to do the right thing at the helms of affairs.
Marwa for whatever it is has always been a goalgetter and this was why he shone very brightly like that early morning sun during the dry season when he held sway as military Governor of Lagos State between 1996 and 1999.
The Adamawa-born retired military General has brought to bare his can-do spirit as well as as his passion to make difference in the task of building a nation that works.
It is against this background one is forced to urge President Bola Tinubu to ensure that those to be appointed into one position of authority or the other should be Nigerians who are ready to add value to the efforts to renew the hope of the millions in the country.
It has always been said that the country is never short of people who are really ready to serve but the problem has always been that almost all of the appointments are function of political patronage.
It has equally been argued that while playing cards of political patronage may be something that is difficult to do away with, some very key positions should only be given to those who have what it takes to produce results just like Marwa has been doing with the renewed fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse in the country.
