The lawmaker representing Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Dr Francis Ottah Agbo has given kudos to the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd) for breathing life into the NDLEA.
Dr Agbo, who is also the chairman of the Narcotic Drugs Committee, particularly praised Marwa for sanitizing the health sector by intercepting large quantities of narcotic and substandard drugs across the country.
The lawmaker, who spoke during an interaction with newsmen in his office recently, said the NDLEA boss has in less than six months of assuming office, succeeded in getting the agency back on track by bursting many drug rings and syndicates, as well as seizing and destroying large quantities of illicit drugs.
The legislator who is also the spokesman of the minority caucus, said NDLEA under the leadership of the former military administrator of Lagos State, is reminiscent of the days of Prof. Dora Akunyili in NAFDAC when fake, expired drugs and substandard food brands were drastically reduced to the admiration of all and sundry.
Dr Agbo said the coming of Marwa has made it clear to Nigerians that the problem of drug trafficking and substance abuse is real and needs all hands to be on deck to combat them head-on.
He said the efforts of Marwa have shown that with courage and determination, the fight against drug addiction can be won.
He said: “I’ve been an advocate of optimum, staffing, equipping and funding the NDLEA to achieve its statutory mandate due to the menace of substance abuse and drug addiction in the country.
“I have said several times that the NDLEA needs all the support to carry out its mandate but I’m surprised that even with the little on ground, the agency, under the able leadership of Gen. Buba Marwa, has been able to achieve a lot by taking the fight to the criminals and this has given me the confidence as chairman of the Narcotic Drugs Committee to further push for the necessary incentives for the agency to function at an optimal level. It is very clear that Marwa is the new Sheriff in town and he has proved this by clearing the doubt of drug barons, syndicates and traffickers.”
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retd), had in March disclosed before the House of Representatives on Narcotic Drugs that his agency intercepted and destroyed illicit drugs worth over N60 billion within three months of his assuming office.
The NDLEA recently also, seized 140 grammes of Methamphetamine packaged in the statue of Mary and another 500 grammes of heroin concealed in auto spare parts heading to Canada were also intercepted at a second courier company.
The agency recently also arrested 31 suspects in Ondo State for having 276 kg of assorted illicit drugs and intercepted 834.5kg illicit drugs en-route the U.S. in Lagos and many others.