MARWA COMMISSIONS NDLEA RADIO STATION, CLEAN BEAT 91.5FM; UNODC, NBC, NOA COMMEND AGENCY’S INITIATIVE
Oru Leonard
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called on Nigerians to reject the growing pop culture that glamorises illicit drug abuse among young people, urging stakeholders to support the Agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
Marwa made the call on Thursday during the commissioning of the NDLEA’s radio station, Clean Beat 91.5FM, in Abuja, describing the station as a strategic platform to amplify anti-drug advocacy and promote positive social values.
According to him, the station would serve as a powerful medium to counter narratives that portray drug abuse as fashionable, while promoting stories of recovery, sobriety and responsible living.
“We recognize that behind every statistic of drug abuse is a human being. Through this station, we will counter the toxic pop-culture that glamourizes drug abuse by replacing it with a vibrant alternative culture that celebrates sobriety and provides life-saving information,” he said.
The NDLEA boss warned that failure to tackle the spread of substance abuse could worsen insecurity, damage public health, weaken economic productivity and threaten the future of Nigeria’s youth population.
He stressed that while law enforcement remained critical in the fight against illicit drugs, long-term success would depend largely on prevention, public education and awareness creation.
“True victory against substance abuse cannot be achieved solely by handcuffs or prison cells. It is won when we dismantle the demand and conquer the ignorance that lures young people into addiction,” Marwa added.
He described the launch of Clean Beat 91.5FM as more than the commissioning of a radio station, saying it represented “a powerful voice for national security, community survival and the future of Nigerian youths.”
Marwa noted that the station was made possible through the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who approved the budget for the project, as well as the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Broadcasting Commission, international partners and NDLEA personnel involved in the project.
He urged young Nigerians to embrace the station as their own platform for enlightenment and social reorientation.
“To all Nigerians, especially our vibrant youth, this station is yours. Tune in, engage and become ambassadors of this movement. Together, let us keep the beat clean,” he said.
In his goodwill message, the United Nations Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Ousmane Touré, represented by Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, commended the initiative, describing radio as an effective tool for advocacy and public education.
He said the initiative aligned with the National Drug Control Master Plan and reinforced the NDLEA’s balanced approach to drug control through enforcement, education and community engagement.
Also speaking, Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Charles Ebuebu, described Clean Beat 91.5FM as a strategic use of broadcasting for national orientation, youth engagement and social transformation.
Ebuebu noted that with Nigeria’s youthful population, combating substance abuse had become a national development priority.
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by Mr. Bala Musa, said the station would strengthen positive attitudinal change and citizen reorientation across the country.
