The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for renewing the tenure of Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), describing the decision as a boost to Nigeria’s ongoing battle against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
NCWS National President, Princess Edna Azura, made the commendation on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to Marwa at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja. The visit, which included senior officials of the Council, focused on expanding collaborative efforts in drug prevention, community sensitisation, and rehabilitation initiatives nationwide.
Azura said the Council is “very grateful” for the renewed confidence President Tinubu has placed in Marwa, noting that the extension of his leadership for another five years “is a clear national endorsement of his monumental contributions to national security, public health, women and youth protection.”
She praised Marwa’s tenure as “transformative and inspiring,” citing the Agency’s achievements in dismantling major drug trafficking networks, intercepting record quantities of illicit substances, deepening intelligence-driven operations, and expanding community-based preventive education and rehabilitation support.
“These achievements represent hope for millions of families, especially women and children, who suffer the silent consequences of drug-related crime and societal instability,” she said.
Azura said NCWS has been actively mobilising women, mothers, teachers, and community groups to support drug prevention efforts through school outreach programmes, advocacy forums, and sensitisation campaigns across the country. She called for enhanced cooperation with NDLEA in areas such as training officers and state leaders as anti-drug ambassadors, joint advocacy targeting mothers and caregivers, and strengthening rehabilitation and reintegration for women and youths affected by substance abuse.
Responding, Marwa thanked the NCWS leadership for the recognition and stressed the importance of partnership with the umbrella women’s body, noting that the drug challenge requires a “whole-of-society response.”
He described drug abuse as Nigeria’s “number one problem,” with an estimated 15 million users nationwide, stressing that government alone cannot address the crisis.
“NCWS, we don’t have any bigger partners than you because you are the mothers handling families all over the country. It is critical that you stand up and be part of this struggle to redeem the souls of our young boys and girls,” Marwa said.
He announced that the NDLEA will conduct specialised Drug Use Prevention, Treatment and Care (DPTC) training for NCWS leaders in 2026 to equip them for grassroots mobilisation and community engagement.
Marwa also urged the Council to support the Agency’s push for drug integrity tests for intending couples, describing it as a proactive step in discouraging substance abuse and promoting early detection and treatment.
