President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the reappointment of Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for another five-year term.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
General Marwa, who first assumed office in January 2021 following his appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari, previously chaired the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (2018–2020). His renewed tenure will see him lead the NDLEA until 2031.
An accomplished military officer and administrator, Marwa is a former military governor of Lagos and Borno States. He is an alumnus of the Nigerian Military School and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1973. His distinguished military career includes service as Brigade Major, 23 Armoured Brigade; Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma; Academic Registrar at the NDA; Deputy Defence Adviser at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C.; and Defence Adviser to Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
General Marwa holds postgraduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh—Master of Public and International Affairs (1983–1985)—and Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Public Administration (1985–1986).
Since assuming leadership of the NDLEA, General Marwa has overseen extensive reforms and record-breaking operations, including the arrest of over 73,000 drug traffickers and barons, and the seizure of more than 15 million kilogrammes of illicit substances. He has also championed nationwide campaigns against drug abuse.
President Tinubu commended the NDLEA chairman for his exemplary service, stating:
“Your reappointment is a vote of confidence in your relentless efforts to rid our country of the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse. I urge you to remain steadfast in tracking down the merchants of hard drugs determined to destroy our people, especially the youth.”
