This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja.
According to the statement, Marwa gave the warning in his remarks at the passing out ceremony of an additional 2,500 cadets of Senior Officers Basic Course 16 on Thursday at the NDLEA Academy, Jos, Plateau State.
Marwa, who was represented at the ceremony by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Victoria Egbase, noted that the ceremony marks the addition of 5,000 personnel to the NDLEA workforce, and charged the personnel to make their impacts felt.
While welcoming the new Assistant Superintendents of Narcotics to the Agency, he said, “I assure you that you are coming into this organisation at an interesting time when reforms are being implemented and plans have been laid for the next phase of action to curb drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.
“I must prepare your minds for the task ahead of you. The duties are such that there is no room for compromising the ethics of your profession or subverting the goals of the organisation. In our renewed campaign against illicit drugs, we are at a stage of ramped-up interdiction against cannabis, opioids, and other psychoactive substances. We cannot afford to decelerate our effort and we will not tolerate sabotage from within.
“What that means is that the injection of an additional 5, 000 officers must have an immediate and far-reaching impact on the campaign. In other words: everyone must make their effort count.”
He noted that the world of illicit drugs has become complex and more devastating to society, and the dynamics of the Nigerian drug situation have become more dire.
This, he said, was why the 2018 Drug Use Survey jolted Nigeria and sounded the alarm bell on the inevitability of arresting the situation.
He added, “Hence, some 35 months ago, in January 2021, NDLEA was handed a lifeline to rejig its structure and improve its systems to counter contemporary drug problems.
“Today’s passing out ceremony, coming after months of rigorous training, is one of the manifestations of the ongoing restructuring in the agency. Having another batch of 5, 000 officers to strengthen our workforce will assuredly give the needed impetus to the fight against the abuse and trafficking of illicit substances.”
Marwa noted that following the agency’s tradition and global best practices, the new batch of officers had been trained to be efficient drug law enforcement agents.
He added that they have spent the past four months in training, where they learnt the intricacies of drug law enforcement and know that their job demands sacrifice, loyalty, and discipline.
“I do not doubt that they are aware of their position as an important cog in the law and order system of society,” he wondered.
The NDLEA boss also expressed appreciation to the people and government of Plateau State; the Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba; the management of FRSC Training School, Jos; the Nigerian Army and other sister agencies in the state for their unwavering support for NDLEA.
The ceremony was well attended by the agency’s top officers, including the commandant of the NDLEA Academy, Hamza Umar, directors, and commandants.
Dignitaries at the occasion include the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, represented by his deputy, Josephine Piyo; Chairman, House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Abass Agboworin, his deputy and other members of his committee; Gbong Gwom and other traditional rulers as well as representatives of other security agencies among others.
