Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. MohamMed Buba Marwa (rtd), are upbeat that the recent amendment of the NDLEA Act would boost Nigeria’s drug control efforts.
 
They spoke during the opening of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control meeting in Abuja yesterday.   

Fagbemi, who delivered the keynote address, said: “In the past four years, we have witnessed unprecedented efforts by the NDLEA. These achievements include arrests and seizures, convictions, elaborate evidence-based drug demand reduction interventions, using the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy platform to sensitise communities on the dangers of drug abuse. 
 
“Consistent gains have been recorded within the global space, by fostering international cooperation, and building strong partnerships. NDLEA has sustained the fight with renewed energy and vigour, giving hope to the once hopeless situation.” 

“The Federal Ministry of Justice has worked together with the NDLEA to ensure that our national legal system effectively supports the drug control efforts of the agency. We are at the last lap of finalising the amendment of the NDLEA Act, which will significantly enhance the organisational capability of the agency to control the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria. The ministry is also providing appropriate support in the area of proceeds of crime management, essential to dismantling the financial networks of drug traffickers.”

While acknowledging the contributions of other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders to the country’s drug control efforts, the minister, who was represented by the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, acknowledged that “the work of this Inter-Ministerial Committee has been crucial in coordinating a whole-of-government approach to this top burner issue.”

In his welcome remarks, Marwa said, despite the funding challenges that affected the full implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP 2021–2025), the agency remained undeterred in the pursuit of its goal.

“Instead, we stay resolute, drawing strength from our shared vision, commitment, and collective responsibility to overcome this limitation. Encouragingly, certain developments promise to bolster the achievement of our objectives. One such step is the amendment of the NDLEA Act, which is expected to significantly strengthen the agency’s institutional capacity in drug supply reduction. I am pleased to inform this esteemed assembly that the amended Act has been passed by the National Assembly and is currently awaiting Presidential assent.”

While charging all stakeholders to redouble their efforts, the NDLEA boss stated: “I urge us all to renew our energy and resolve to deliver the impact and value needed to confront Nigeria’s evolving and multifaceted drug challenges. Let us bring our voices, passion, and optimism to bear in our deliberations. May we remain open and forthright in pursuit of our shared goal: the enhancement of health and security for all residents of Nigeria, in line with the aspirations of the NDCMP 2021–2025.”

The UNODC Country Representative, Cheikh Ousmane Toure, represented by Dr. Akani Ibanga, said Nigeria stands at the crossroads of public health and security sector when it comes to drug response, adding that “the urgency of the mission that we have today cannot be overstated. Drug use, as we know, is associated with various things from health to safety to productivity to cohesion and, in fact, to how we respond at the level of our community.”