Marwa Demands Collective Action Against Drug Abuse, Cultism, Banditry

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called for collective action involving families, religious and community leaders to stem the tide of substance abuse, cultism and banditry among Nigerian youths.

Naija News reports that the Director, Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Saturday, 9th August 2025, disclosed that Marwa made the call while delivering the keynote address at a seminar organised by the Ijebu Ode Council of Olorituns in Ijebu Ode, Ogun state, themed “Dangers of drug abuse, cultism and banditry among youths.”

Marwa urged all stakeholders to embrace collective responsibility to curb the menace of the inter-linked social vices of illicit drugs, cultism and banditry.

According to him, the triple threat of cult-related violence, rampant abuse of drugs and illicit substances, and the challenge of banditry across various regions, is a reality that must be dealt with decisively.

Marwa emphasised that despite the projection by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), all hope is not lost, assuring that the country still possesses the power to reverse the trend.

He said, “While these issues may appear distinct, they are intricately connected, feeding one another in a cycle of destruction that must be broken if our society is to thrive. Cultism, once largely confined to tertiary institutions, has insidiously spread into secondary schools and neighbourhoods. What began as secret gatherings has transformed into violent confraternities, often manipulated by political or criminal interests. These groups lure young people, often under the guise of brotherhood, protection or empowerment, into a world of fear, violence and premature death. Tragically, the hands of many of our youth have been stained with the blood of their peers, all for false promises of belonging and power.

“It is projected that the number of people using drugs will increase by 40% in Africa. When they say Africa, I want us to think of Nigeria, because Nigeria has one of the highest drug use prevalences in the world.

“The first step is collective responsibility. Parents, religious institutions, traditional rulers, educational authorities and community leaders must rise with one voice against these vices. The family unit must be strengthened as the first point of moral instruction, while schools should be safe spaces that promote discipline, mentorship and awareness.

“We must also invest in youth development by creating opportunities for education, entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and sports. Idle hands, as we know, are the devil’s workshop. When our young people find purpose and meaning, they are less likely to seek false validation from cults or drugs.”

Speaking on how the NDLEA is responding to the challenge, Marwa said the agency has intensified its war against drug trafficking and abuse, stressing that nationwide raids have led to significant seizures and arrests, which we share weekly on our official channels.

He said, “In the past 54 months, we have arrested 67, 345 traffickers, including 95 barons, and 12, 415 of them are presently serving various jail terms. The barons we have arrested are not anonymous people in society. They include big business people and socialitessome of them have chieftaincy titlesand also government officials, including those tasked with maintaining law and order. That tells how deeply the rot had eaten into the fabric of our society.

“Within the period, we have seized more than 11.2 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and destroyed 1,572 hectares of cannabis farms mostly in Southwest States where some people are cultivating cannabis on a large scale, utilising land that should have been used for other cash crops for illicit crops.

“We are also scaling up our Drug Demand Reduction programmes, including school outreaches, community sensitisation and rehabilitation initiatives. We have within the same period conducted 11,584 sensitisatioin lectures in schools, work places, woship centres, motor parks, palaces of traditional rulers and communities, while 27, 187 drug users have been treated and rehabilitated through our 30 rehab facilities across the country in addition to thousands of others who have benefitted from the psychosocial support services provided on our tollfree helpline: 080010203040.”

While challenging other stakeholders, he said, “We cannot do it alone. We need communities like Ijebu-Ode to partner with us, to speak up, to report suspicious activities and to support our advocacy drives.

“Moreover, security architecture must be enhanced at the grassroots level. Local vigilante groups, properly trained and coordinated, can serve as the eyes and ears of the community, working closely with law enforcement agencies to disrupt cult gatherings and prevent violent incidents.

“We must rekindle the moral and spiritual fabric of our society. We must remind our youth that there is dignity in labour, pride in learning and honour in integrity. The path to greatness is not paved with shortcuts of violence and drugs, but with hard work, vision and purpose.”