Senate Committee Pledges Stronger Legislative Support for NDLEA as Ikpea Visits Marwa
Oru Leonard
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Senator Joseph Igiagbe Ikpea, has assured the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of the National Assembly’s unwavering support in the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria.
The assurance was given during a courtesy visit by Senator Ikpea to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
Speaking during the visit, the senator said his mission was to deepen collaboration with the anti-narcotics agency and learn from its leadership in tackling the growing drug menace in the country.
Ikpea, who represents Edo Central Senatorial District, praised Marwa’s leadership record, citing his achievements as former Military Governor of the old Borno State, Military Administrator of Lagos State, and his current stewardship of the NDLEA.
According to him, the Senate Committee is committed to supporting initiatives aimed at rehabilitating victims of drug abuse and preventing others from falling into addiction through sustained public awareness campaigns.
“We are happy to work with you and support you in all of these because we know you’re already doing a great job but not getting as much as you need to do the work. So, we will partner with you through legislative support and necessary laws to subdue the drug problem in our country,” Ikpea stated.
Responding, Marwa expressed appreciation for the visit and pledged the agency’s readiness to work closely with the Senate Committee to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-drug campaign.
He congratulated Senator Ikpea on his appointment as chairman of the committee, describing him as a person of integrity whose track record earned him the position.
Marwa noted that drug abuse and trafficking remain major global challenges with far-reaching social consequences, but stressed that NDLEA has continued to record significant successes in combating the menace.
“The drug problem is a major challenge that is at the root of some other social issues, not only in Nigeria but globally. However, I must say that we’re doing our level best to curb the scourge and we’re getting impressive results, including the dismantling of major transnational drug cartels, arrest of high-profile barons and weakening their financial base through the seizure and forfeiture of their assets,” he said.
The NDLEA boss attributed the agency’s achievements to the support of President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly and the Judiciary, while reaffirming the agency’s commitment to both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts nationwide.
“We’re proud and delighted to have you as chairman of the Senate committee and we pray that at the end it’ll be on record that you did your best in support of the drug war in Nigeria,” Marwa added.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the visit underscored the growing collaboration between the legislature and the agency in addressing the challenges posed by drug abuse and trafficking in the country.
