Trending 
Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), the Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has urged families, religious leaders, and community leaders to work together to fight the growing problem of drug usage, cultism, and banditry among young Nigerians.
Marwa appealed on Saturday, August 9, 2025, while delivering an address at a conference held by the Ijebu Ode Council of Oloritun in Ogun State. Under the theme “Dangers of drug abuse, cultism, and banditry among youngsters,” the event brought together traditional leaders, political figures, teachers, parents, and young people. He underlined the need for a united reaction to the connected issues of drug misuse, cult-related violence, and thuggery.
He said “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.”
Marwa emphasied that drug use in Africa is expected to rise by 40 per cent, cautioning that Nigeria already ranks among countries with the highest prevalence, quoting United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) projections.
He highlighted that families must serve as the first moral guide, schools must be a place encouraging discipline and mentorship, and communities should provide opportunities for education, skills acquisition and sports and entrepreneurship. “Idle hands, as we know, are the devil’s workshop,” he stated.
“As a nation and as communities, we still possess the power to reverse this trend. The first step is collective responsibility. Parents, religious institutions, traditional rulers, educational authorities and community leaders must rise with one voice against these vices,” he said.
Marwa disclosed that in the past 54 months, the NDLEA had arrested 67,345 traffickers, including 95 barons, with 12,415 now serving jail terms.
He said “The barons we have arrested are not anonymous people in society. They include big business people and socialites, some of them with chieftaincy titles, and also government officials, including those tasked with maintaining law and order,”
Marwa advised communities to work along with the NDLEA, report suspicious activities, and support security efforts. “Local vigilante groups, properly trained and coordinated, can serve as the eyes and ears of the community,” he said,
He commended the Ijebu Ode Council of Oloritun for its commitment to youth development, and also paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
