The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) has tasked Zonal, State and Area Commanders of the Agency to go all out and smoke out all the drug barons that are still hiding.
A statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Thursday said, Marwa also charged them to dismantle the cartels of the drug barons, as part of ongoing efforts to totally cut off drug supply to elements involved in criminalities across the country.
The NDLEA boss gave the charge in his meeting with Directors and all Commanding Officers of the Agency at its national headquarters in Abuja where he commended them for the unprecedented successes achieved so far and tasked them not to rest on their oars.
He said, no effort must be spared to remove illicit drug equation from the security challenges facing the country.
According to him, “Commanders, officers and men of the NDLEA can’t afford to rest on their oars. Yes, we have kept the flag of performance flying, but there is 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.
“We are working with relevant authorities for improved funding so that we can comprehensively and holistically play our role as part and parcel of the solution to the security challenges facing the nation because, 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 are 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 is interested in the progress of the NDLEA.
“This year, we want to raise the bar of our performance and this calls for commanders who are up to the task to be up and doing on the job. 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 don’t ask for it before, meaning that they are no longer as available as they used to be and the prices of those available have gone beyond their reach.”
He charged the commanders to always ensure that the corporate integrity of the Agency is always protected in all they do and to shun any act capable of bringing into disrepute the hard-earned reputation of the NDLEA.
The NDLEA boss said, there will be penalties, just as there are rewards for good conduct, hard work and results and added that, the onus is on every commander to ensure the protection of the corporate integrity of the Agency.
While assuring that he remains committed to staff welfare including conducive work environment, allowances, remuneration and entitlements, and the basic welfare package, he asked the Commanders to replicate such in their various Commands and added that Commanders must justify their retention in Command positions with their performance.