…creates 5 New Strategic Commands, Deploys Body Cameras for Operational Efficiency
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohamed Buba Marwa has approved the promotion of 5,042 personnel of the organisaton.
This promotion exercise saw two senior officers elevated to the rank of Deputy Commander General of Narcotics (DCGN), 22 officers to Assistant Commander General of Narcotics (ACGN), and 66 officers to Commander of Narcotics (CN).
The promotions followed weeks of examinations and interviews for qualified candidates and are part of an ongoing effort to enhance human resource management, focusing on staff motivation and welfare to achieve organizational goals.
Speaking at an event in Abuja on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, to decorate some of the promoted officers and reward 15 commands and 70 personnel for outstanding performance in the first half of 2024, Marwa emphasized the importance of timely promotions.
“I am pleased to say that we continue to wax stronger on this journey we embarked on three and a half years ago when we decided to turn around the fortunes of this agency by improving our performance as a precursor to reversing the perilous drug use situation in our dear country, Nigeria,” Marwa stated.
“On this occasion of the 8th edition of the commands’ awards and commendations ceremony, we have every reason to be thankful because our performance continuously justifies our conviction in Offensive Action, WADA, and other reforms that we undertook. For our modest efforts, we have received plaudits at home and abroad. What that means is that we have to do more. The reward for work well done is more work, and in our case, we cannot rest on our oars until all the objectives of our mandate are fully achieved. May I remind us that the bottom-line is a drug-free Nigeria,” he added.
Marwa highlighted the agency’s commitment according to Femi Babafemi, Director Media & Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja to staff welfare, mentioning the near completion of new barracks in Adamawa, Abuja, and Lagos, which will be commissioned soon. He also noted the significance of the recent promotion of 5,042 officers, symbolizing an effort to break the jinx of stagnation that previously plagued personnel.
“To further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations, we are creating five strategic commands in Lagos, FCT, MMIA, Apapa, and Tincan. Also in this regard, we’ll be deploying body cameras for the use of our officers on strategic operations to ensure their safety and the integrity of such operations,” Marwa announced.
Addressing the officers, Marwa urged them to remain upright in their duties. “Let me also seize this occasion to pass some messages to the NDLEA personnel. We have come a long way. In three and a half years, we have taken down as many as 50 identifiable drug cartels, some of them important spokes in the wheel of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine distribution in the country and the global trafficking network. We have seized a huge quantity of illicit drugs and we have convicted record numbers of drug offenders,” he said.
“We have achieved many milestones without soiling our integrity, and I expect us to continue on that course. Our core values of integrity, hard work, and transparency, among others, must be respected at all times. We need to continue to justify the trust reposed in us by society, our government, and our international partners and governments supporting us across the globe. We have raised the standard and it must not be lowered at any cost or by any means,” Marwa emphasized.
Marwa warned against infractions, indiscipline, or corruption, stressing that the least expected from any officer is to be upright and committed to the agency’s goals. “The strides of the past three years have put behind us the tribulations of the previous 30 years. We owe the agency allegiance to maintain its integrity. We owe the public a duty not to betray the trust reposed in us. We owe our government, and our partners and stakeholders supporting us, a duty to get the job done,” he stated.
“Therefore, we must not fail in giving the required sacrifice, patriotism, commitment, honesty, hard work, and all the virtues that go along with this important job and service to the nation and mankind. You have my assurances and those of the management of NDLEA that we shall not relent in the pursuit to create the best paradigm of work, welfare, and reward for you,” Marwa concluded.
Following the ceremony, Marwa held a closed-door meeting with all commanders and directors to outline the tasks ahead for implementation in their respective areas of responsibility.