AS a concerned Nigerian, I wish to commend the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired), for their firm stance on drug control in Nigeria. Their recent remarks at the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control meeting in Abuja, particularly regarding the proposed amendment to the NDLEA Act currently awaiting presidential assent, were both reassuring and timely.
The trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs have become a grave national crisis, with devastating effects affecting families and communities alike.
This is why amending the NDLEA Act is not just appropriate — it is essential. We cannot afford to delay or downplay any measure that helps curb the spread of drugs in our society.
It was encouraging to hear the Minister of Justice reaffirm that the revised legislation will equip the NDLEA with greater resources and broader authority to tackle drug misuse and trafficking. According to him, the amendment will fortify the legal framework, improve operational efficiency, and make it easier to trace and confiscate the illicit assets of drug traffickers. This is significant — it means the law will now target both the criminals and their financial power.
It is instructive to know that drug abuse isn’t just a policing issue; it’s a societal one. Both General Marwa and the Minister rightly emphasised that the NDLEA cannot fight this alone.
That is why this amendment to the NDLEA Act is so critical. It is more than a legislative update — it signals Nigeria’s readiness to escalate the fight against drugs. It is a new phase in our national resolve to eliminate drug abuse and trafficking.
The president must sign this amendment into law without delay. Only then can the NDLEA operate with the full legal backing needed to act more decisively.
Ebun Okedepo, Ibadan, Oyo State
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