Marwa says poverty, abuse and lack of education are pushing women and youths into substance abuse as daughter launches book on child marriage
By Heapnews
The head of Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency on Saturday called for stronger protection of girls against poverty, abuse and lack of education, saying such vulnerabilities were fuelling drug abuse and exploitation among women and young people.
Speaking at the launch of In The Shadow of the Neem Tree, a novel by his daughter, lawyer and women’s rights advocate Mariam Marwa-Abdu, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said safeguarding girls was critical to strengthening families and national development.
“By protecting the girl-child, we protect the family, and by protecting the family, we secure the nation,” Marwa told guests in Kaduna.
Marwa said his experience leading the country’s anti-drug agency had shown that social inequalities often lay at the root of drug abuse.
“As the Chairman of NDLEA, I see firsthand every day how systemic vulnerabilities like poverty, abuse and lack of education drive women and youth toward drug abuse and exploitation,” he said.
He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, communities and civil society groups to work alongside government in protecting vulnerable girls and expanding access to education.
“We cannot leave this battle to the government or non-governmental organisations alone,” he said. “We need the partnership of our revered traditional institutions… We must protect our daughters, educate them, and give them the wings to fly.”
Marwa said the novel highlighted the consequences of child marriage, describing the practice as one that deprives girls of their childhood, education, health and future economic opportunities.
Referring to the neem tree, a familiar feature across many northern Nigerian communities, he said it symbolised both shelter and the hidden realities of harmful traditional practices.
“The ‘Neem Tree’ is a common sight in our northern communities, providing shade from the scorching sun. Yet, ironically, under some of these very shades, silent traditional arrangements occur that eclipse the bright futures of our young daughters,” he said.
He praised the author for using her legal background and storytelling to draw attention to the issue, urging readers to spread the book’s message across the country.
Marwa also reflected on his family’s literary tradition, noting that he had authored three books and that all four of his eldest children, who are lawyers, had now become published authors.
Author Mariam Marwa-Abdu, founder of the Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation (WCREF), said the book was more than fiction.
She described it as “a literary manifesto” reflecting more than a decade of advocacy through her organisation, which she founded in 2011 to promote the rights of women and children.
The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, represented by Architect Haruna Abubakar Bamalli, the Barden Kerarriyan Zazzau and District Head of Basawa, said he hoped the event would inspire both individual and collective efforts to tackle social challenges affecting girls and young women.
Nigeria continues to grapple with high rates of child marriage in parts of the country, with rights groups warning that the practice contributes to poor educational outcomes, maternal health risks and cycles of poverty among girls.