President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reappointed Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), extending his tenure for another five years in what the Presidency described as a strong vote of confidence in his leadership.
Marwa, who first took over the anti-narcotics agency in January 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, will now remain at the helm until 2031, continuing a tenure marked by record-breaking drug seizures, sweeping arrests and aggressive anti-drug campaigns across Nigeria.
A former military governor of Lagos and Borno States, Marwa has long been regarded as one of the country’s most experienced security administrators. A graduate of the Nigerian Military School and the Nigerian Defence Academy, he rose through the ranks as brigade major of the 23 Armoured Brigade, Aide-de-Camp to then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Theophilus Danjuma, and later academic registrar of the NDA. His foreign service postings included Deputy Defence Adviser at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC, and Defence Adviser to Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Marwa also brings formidable academic credentials to the role, holding a Master of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.
His stewardship of the NDLEA has been defined by an unprecedented crackdown on narcotics networks. Since 2021, the agency has arrested more than 73,000 drug traffickers and barons and seized over 15 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs. His administration has also prioritised public enlightenment, launching nationwide campaigns aimed at curbing drug abuse, especially among young people.
In a statement announcing the decision, President Tinubu praised Marwa’s record and urged him to intensify the fight against drug syndicates targeting Nigerian communities.
“Your reappointment is a vote of confidence in your onerous efforts to rid our country of the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse. I urge you not to relent in tracking the merchants of hard drugs, out to destroy our people, especially the young ones,” the President said.
Marwa’s renewed mandate signals the administration’s resolve to maintain pressure on drug cartels and sustain momentum in Nigeria’s war against narcotics—a battle many believe will shape the country’s security and public health landscape for years to come.