President Bola Tinubu has renewed the appointment of Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. The renewal, confirmed on Friday by the State House, gives Marwa another five-year term and keeps him in office until 2031.
The announcement came through a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. The statement noted when Marwa was first appointed, what he has done since then, and why his leadership will continue.
Marwa originally took over the NDLEA in January 2021 after being appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Before joining the agency, he headed the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse between 2018 and 2020.
His background includes long years in the military. He attended the Nigerian Military School and the Nigerian Defence Academy before being commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1973. He served in different roles in the Army, including brigade major of the 23 Armoured Brigade, Aide-de-Camp to the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Theophilus Danjuma, as well as academic registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy. His foreign experience includes working as Deputy Defence Adviser in Washington, DC, and later as Defence Adviser to Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Marwa also has strong academic training with two postgraduate degrees: a Master of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.
Since taking charge of the NDLEA, the agency has recorded several major operations. Thousands of drug traffickers have been arrested, including drug mules and drug cartel leaders. The agency has seized millions of kilogrammes of illegal drugs and pushed public awareness campaigns across the country to reduce drug abuse.
In the statement confirming the renewal, the Presidency noted that Marwa’s work over the years has helped strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and drug abuse nationwide. Tinubu praised his efforts and urged him to continue the pressure on drug networks across the country, especially those who target young people.
Marwa, who once served as military governor of Lagos and Borno states, now carries the task of sustaining the progress made during his first term. With this renewed appointment, the Adamawa-born officer is expected to continue driving the NDLEA’s work until 2031.