The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called on traditional rulers, parents and community leaders to intensify efforts to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking across the country.
Marwa said stronger community partnerships were critical to protecting public health and national security.
He made the call at the 10th Akinale Day celebration and the first coronation anniversary of the Towulade of Owu Akinale, Oba Oluseyi Ayodeji Adewole Adediran, in Ogun State.
The NDLEA Chairman warned that substance abuse cuts across all social and economic groups, affecting families in both urban and rural communities.
He urged parents to closely monitor their children and watch for behavioural changes that could indicate drug use, while encouraging young people to reject illicit drugs, describing substance abuse as “a destructive path that worsens personal and societal challenges.”
Marwa also appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders to establish community-based advocacy networks to discourage drug trafficking and support individuals battling substance dependence.
He stressed that the NDLEA could not tackle the drug menace alone, noting that “traditional institutions play a vital role in mobilising communities, influencing young people and promoting public awareness.”
Marwa linked the appeal to the recent discovery of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories allegedly operated by a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel in forested areas of Ogun and Oyo states.
He urged traditional rulers and community leaders to monitor activities in forests and rural communities and ensure proper scrutiny of prospective buyers before approving farmland transactions.
, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called on traditional rulers){kind=link}