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Marwa delivers UniAbuja convocation lecture, warns students against devastating cost of drug abuse(Photos)
. ‘Nigeria needs your talent, energy, and sober mind to lead us into the next decade’, he tells youths
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has warned Nigerian youths, particularly those in tertiary institutions, that the temporary euphoria of drug use carries a devastating cost that can permanently derail their futures, if not avoided.
Delivering the Public Lecture for the 29th and 30th Combined Convocation Ceremony of the University of Abuja, titled “High Today, Lost Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus,” on Tuesday 14th April 2026, Marwa stated that substance abuse has moved from being a street challenge to a lecture hall problem.
He noted that the drug landscape has shifted from traditional substances like cannabis to a complex web of synthetic opioids and designer drugs like Colorado, Loud, and Methamphetamine while expressing concern over the use of social networks for drug distribution and the involvement of students in trafficking.
“A criminal record for drug offences is a life sentence on your career before it even begins. You cannot practice law, medicine, or engineering with a drug-related conviction”, Marwa warned, while outlining the devastating impact of substance abuse across critical areas.
He said apart from drugs hijacking humans’ neurotransmitters, eroding memory and critical thinking, drug abuse is the twin brother of cultism and campus violence, adding that arrest and conviction of offenders end their professional aspirations because the Agency maintains a zero-tolerance policy.
He added that the loss of Nigeria’s best minds to psychosis and premature death is another devastating cost of drug abuse among youths.
According to him, “there is correlation between constructed-reality about getting intoxicated and the actual abuse of substance by young people. The National Drug Use and Health Survey report of 2018 was an open aperture on the use of psychoactive substances for non-medical purposes by Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64.
“In summary, the report of the survey indicted Nigerian youths, predominantly those between 25 and 39, for substance abuse. The survey also established the fact that young people are initiated into substance abuse at about the age of 19 years. Unfortunately, today, we even see kids who are below 15 and 10 already experimenting with illicit substances.
“Statistics from NDLEA activities further infused dire angles to this drug use dossier and invariably throw up a disturbing portrait of substance abuse among youths. For instance, of the 77, 859 drug offenders arrested in the past five years, over 60% of them were young people, both male and female, some of them as young as 15 years old. Similarly, majority of the 48, 836 drug users counselled and treated in NDLEA treatment facilities within the same period were overwhelmingly young people.”
Addressing the graduating students directly, Marwa urged them to remain sober as they begin the next phase of their lives. His words: “You are about to enter a world that is AI-Powered and Fintech-driven, as your convocation theme suggests.
There is no room for a clouded mind in a fast-paced world. Choose your circle. Peer pressure is the primary gateway. If your friends require you to be ‘high’ to belong, you are in the wrong company. And as you receive your degrees on Friday and Saturday, remember that character comes before learning. The University of Abuja is the University for Nigeria’s Unity. Let us unite against this scourge. Don’t let a moment of ‘high’ cost you your tomorrow. Nigeria needs your talent, your energy, and—most importantly—your sober mind to lead us into the next decade.”
While calling for all stakeholders to join government efforts in tackling the menace because of its ripple effect, the NDLEA boss said “Let me also state here that drug abuse does not affect only the user. It ripples outward: families suffer emotional and financial strain; institutions face reputational damage; society bears the burden of lost productivity and increased crime; while a nation cannot thrive when its youth—its greatest asset—are compromised.”
“The contributive role of substance abuse to crime and criminality is a strong reason for society to not treat drug issues with levity. The nexus between crime and illicit drugs is not an abstraction, but an everyday reality plaguing contemporary society. We must surmount the substance abuse challenge. It is important to protect our young ones from the vices and vanities of the youth of which substance abuse is a big threat. Success in this assignment will give us assurances that our youths will reach the greatness of the future. Failure will leave the younger generation stranded in the wilderness of life where the future becomes a mirage”, he added.
Marwa concluded by commending the leadership of the University of Abuja for their partnership with NDLEA in strengthening campus surveillance and urged all academic institutions to intensify drug education during orientation programmes and in lecture halls.
Dignitaries at the lecture include the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso; Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi;
Council Member, Dr. Adedeji Adefuye; senior officials of the university; students and senior officers of NDLEA, among others.
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Marwa breaking barriers as 11 drug kingpins bag 254 yrs in prison as NDLEA secures 974 convictions in 3 months(Photos)
. hails Judiciary, NDLEA officers; says swift justice the most potent deterrent to drug syndicates
NDLEA boss, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, rtd is breaking every known barrier in the war against narcotics as no fewer than 974 offenders have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms including 11 drug kingpins who bagged 254 years imprisonment in the first quarter of 2026 as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) ramped up the arrest, prosecution and forfeiture of the assets of drug traffickers and their collaborators across the country.
Of the 974 drug traffickers convicted between January and March, 899 of them are male and 75 females, while a further breakdown of the conviction figure shows that 265 were secured in January, 316 in February and 393 in March.
Top on the list of the 11 drug kingpins who were successfully prosecuted and convicted
within the period include a notorious Italy-based 42-year-old businessman, Adegbite Solomon (a.k.a Obama) who was arraigned on 15-count charge before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court Lagos in suit number: FHC/L/851C/2025. Delivering his ruling on the matter on 18th March, Justice Kakaki convicted the repeat offender on all 15 counts and sentenced him to a total of 130 years in prison.
Specifically, Justice Kakaki sentenced Adegbite to 15 years’ imprisonment on count 1; 15 years on count 2; 15 years on count 3; 15 years on count 4; 15 years on count 5; 15 years on count 6; 10 years on count 7; four years on count 8; four years on count 9; four years on count 10; four years on count 11; four years on count 12; and 10 years on count 15. While the prison sentence is to run concurrently, the trial judge also ordered the revocation of the convict’s pharmacy license and the forfeiture of two branches of his pharmacy store as well as the forfeiture of funds in his three bank accounts to the Federal Government, among others.
Another top drug kingpin sentenced to long years in prison in the first quarter of the year is 32-year-old Ridwan Animashaun who was arraigned by NDLEA before Justice Nkenoye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo state in charge number: FHC/IB/97C/2025. In her judgment delivered on 26th February 2026, Justice Maha convicted and sentenced Animashaun to 25 calendar years for drug trafficking. The convict was first convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment for a similar offence on 15th July 2022 by Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court following his arrest by NDLEA along Lagos/Ibadan expressway on 27th March 2022.
Two other convicts who bagged long years imprisonment are: Rauf Asogba, 28, and Seun Olaniyi, 24, who were convicted and sentenced to 17 years in jail each by Justice Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi of the Federal High Court Abeokuta, Ogun state on 28th January 2026 after NDLEA arrested and charged them to court for trafficking 1,779 kilograms of skunk in suit number: FHC/AB/160C/2025.
Another set of two convicts got 15 years imprisonment each. They are: 54-year-old Jonathan Nuhu (a.k.a Doctor) who was convicted by Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano, Kano state on 17th March 2026 following his arraignment by NDLEA in charge: FHC/KN/CR/96/2023, and 40-year-old Idris Yusuf who was sentenced on 31st March 2026 by Justice Fatima Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, Yobe in suit number FHC/CR/6/21, in addition to another eight years sentence for a similar case brought against Yusuf by NDLEA in charge number FHC/CR/DM/16/24.
Other convicts who got seven years imprisonment each for drug trafficking offences in parts of the country include: Godday Obizuo in FHC/AK/64C/2024; Asabe Abubakar in FHC/BAU/CR/16/2026; Godwin Peter, Asuquo Christian and Olabode Sunday in FHC/AD/CR/66/2024.
In his reaction to the conviction of the drug offenders, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the sentencing of the 11 drug kingpins to a combined 254 years in prison as a watershed moment in the country’s war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
He noted that the conviction of 974 offenders between January and March 2026 sends an unambiguous message that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for those who trade in human lives and derive pleasure in destroying the lives of the nation’s youth.
According to him, “Securing 974 convictions in just three months is a testament to the relentless spirit of our officers and the thinning patience of the Nigerian state toward drug merchants. To the 11 kingpins who thought they were untouchable, their 254-year collective residency in correctional centres is a firm reminder that the long arm of the law has finally caught up with their greed.”
Marwa commended the Judiciary for the accelerated hearing of the cases, noting that swift justice is the most potent deterrent. To officers, men and women of the Agency, he said
“Your bravery in the face of danger is yielding fruit. We will continue to prioritize your welfare and provide the tools needed to stay ahead of these criminal syndicates.”
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, adding that “these victories belong to the citizens who provide the intelligence that fuels our operations.”
Nigeria has intensified its bid to host the African Union’s African Monetary Institute (AMI), with the Federal Ministry of Finance leading coordinated efforts to secure the institution ahead of its planned 2026 operationalisation.
The renewed push was articulated on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., where Nigeria is advancing its case as a credible host for the continental institution central to Africa’s monetary integration agenda.
Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Raymond Omachi, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, underscored the country’s full political and institutional backing for the initiative. He stated that Nigeria has moved beyond policy commitments to concrete delivery, with the necessary infrastructure and administrative arrangements already in place.
The Ministry emphasised that hosting the AMI aligns with Nigeria’s broader economic strategy of positioning Abuja as a hub for continental financial coordination. It noted that the institute represents a critical step toward deeper monetary cooperation, improved macroeconomic convergence, and a more integrated African financial system.
Earlier, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, had reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness through his representative, the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Mr. Muhammad Abdullahi. He indicated that a dedicated office facility has already been secured in Abuja and made available for inspection, reflecting the country’s preparedness to meet host country obligations.
According to the Ministry, Nigeria remains actively engaged with the African Union and is prepared to conclude all required agreements to ensure a seamless take-off of the institute within the stipulated timeline.
The African Monetary Institute, approved in February, is designed to strengthen policy coordination, stabilise exchange rate frameworks, and lay the groundwork for eventual monetary unification across the continent.
Senior continental stakeholders at the meetings reinforced the significance of the initiative. The African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, described the institute as a pivotal step toward a single African currency and deeper economic integration.
Similarly, Chief Economist and Vice President of the African Development Bank, Kevin Urama, noted that the institute would strengthen financial stability, improve debt sustainability, and address structural constraints posed by multiple currencies across the continent.
Nigeria’s engagement at the Spring Meetings reflects a deliberate effort to translate continental commitments into operational outcomes, with the Federal Ministry of Finance driving alignment across policy, infrastructure, and diplomatic channels.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced adjustment for the campaign period ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
The adjusted schedule for the election was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election and adjusted the Osun State Governorship Election forward by one week from the 8th of August 2026 to the 15th.
“As a result of this adjustment, the last day for political parties’ campaigns in the state is now midnight on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in line with Section 98(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides that campaigns shall end 24 hours prior to election day.
“The Commission urges all political parties, candidates, and stakeholders to strictly adhere to the revised timeline.
“INEC remains committed to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections,” the statement read.
Marwa breaking barriers as 11 drug kingpins bag 254 yrs in prison as NDLEA secures 974 convictions in 3 months(Photos)
Nigeria intensifies push to host AU Monetary Institute, signals readiness at Spring Meetings
INEC adjusts Osun governorship election campaign period
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