President Bola Tinubu has approved the reappointment of Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.) as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for a fresh five-year term, extending his leadership of the anti-narcotics agency until 2031.
The announcement was made on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Onanuga stated that the decision reflects the President’s confidence in Marwa’s “onerous efforts to rid our country of the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse.”
Marwa, who hails from Adamawa State, was first appointed NDLEA Chairman in January 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement accompanying the announcement, President Tinubu praised Marwa’s performance and urged him to sustain the momentum.
“Your reappointment is a vote of confidence in your onerous efforts to rid our country of the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse. I urge you not to relent in tracking the merchants of hard drugs, out to destroy our people, especially the young ones,” the President said.
Despite recorded successes, some officers within the agency have raised concerns about alleged nepotism and discrimination under Marwa’s leadership. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officers claimed that the chairman appears to prioritize individuals from his northern region.
The officers alleged that during Marwa’s first appointment as NDLEA Chairman, staff members were hopeful for positive change, but those expectations were allegedly unmet. They claimed that the 2023 recruitment exercise for 5,000 personnel was heavily skewed toward the North, particularly Adamawa, Katsina, and Kano states, accounting for roughly 75% of recruits.
They further alleged that some recruits included elderly individuals and relatives of retired and serving army generals, who, according to the officers, may not contribute effectively to the agency’s operations.
The allegations have yet to be formally addressed by the NDLEA, and Marwa has not publicly commented on the claims.
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