The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) has has ordered the agency Commanders to smoke out drug barons and cartels wherever they are hiding
This is just as he ordered them to dismantle drug cartels to totally cut off drug supply which according to him would drastically reduce the growing insecurity and criminalities in the country.
He gave this order when he met with directors and commanding officers of the agency at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
He however commended the directors and Commanders for the unprecedented successes achieved so far, advising them not to rest on their oars.
Marwa told them not to spare any effort at removing the illicit drug equation from the security challenges facing the country.
“Within the limit of our resources, we have been able to push boundaries. The statistics of our operations, empirical facts from the field, the general anti-illicit drug climate we have built and the rapport between us and our domestic and international partners, all speak volumes about how we are faring, especially against the backdrop of where we are coming from, of what the situation used to be a few years ago.
“Commendations apart, we also cannot afford not to tell ourselves the plain truth; we still have a long way to go. Hence commanders, officers and men of NDLEA can’t afford to rest on their oars.
“Yes, we have kept the flag of performance flying, but there’s still room for improvement. There is still much to do. And we cannot afford to be complacent now as we have committed to a lot of ongoing efforts to improve our operational capabilities. We are constantly engaging stakeholders within and outside the country to support and help optimise our capabilities. So, if anything, our performance should justify these ongoing efforts. We need to remind ourselves that to achieve our mandate, professionalism and discipline must be maintained at all times and in all our operations,” he said.
The NDLEA boss said that the agency is working with other relevant authorities for improved funding to comprehensively and holistically play its role as part and parcel of the solution to the security challenges facing the nation.
According to him, “If we are able to totally cut the access to and availability of drugs to the criminals, we would have effectively tampered with their nefarious activities and so we’re going to plead for enhanced funding to do more things in support of the fight against insecurity and I trust that the President will give us a listening ear because he’s interested in the progress of the NDLEA.”
He hinted that the agency wants to raise the bar of its performance and that this calls for commanders who are up to the task to be up and doing on the job.
In his words, “We must clean our streets and communities of illicit substances. We all are witnesses to the upsurge in the cases of kidnapping and such vices, this means NDLEA must remain upstanding. For those who have been watching and listening, recently, there is another demand by kidnappers and bandits aside money, which is drugs. In that sense, it means NDLEA is working because they didn’t ask for it before, meaning that they’re no longer as available as they used to be and the prices of those available have gone beyond their reach.”
He urged the commanders to always ensure that the corporate integrity of the agency is protected at all times .
“Every command must shun any act capable of bringing into disrepute the hard-earned reputation of NDLEA. Where inappropriate actions occur, the management certainly will not overlook it. There will be penalties, just as there are rewards for good conduct, hard work and results. Now, the onus is on every commander to ensure the protection of our corporate integrity.”
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