Widespread excitement asTinubu reappoints Marwa as NDLEA Chairman

There is renewed enthusiasm within the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following President Bola Tinubu’s reappointment of Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd) as Chairman. Marwa, first appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, is now expected to complete his second and final term in 2031.

The State House confirmed the development on Friday, a decision warmly welcomed by NDLEA operatives and staff who described the move as highly commendable. Before taking up leadership of the NDLEA, Marwa chaired the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse between 2018 and December 2020.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the reappointment in a statement dated November 14, 2025. He emphasized Marwa’s extensive professional background, noting his distinguished military career that began with his commissioning as a second lieutenant in 1973. Marwa’s service included roles such as brigade major of the 23 Armoured Brigade, Aide-de-Camp to then–Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant-General Theophilus Danjuma, and academic registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

His international experience includes postings as Deputy Defence Adviser at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and later as Defence Adviser to Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Marwa also boasts strong academic credentials, holding a Master of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.

The State House highlighted key achievements under Marwa’s leadership, including the arrests of more than 73,000 drug traffickers and the seizure of over 15 million kilogrammes of illicit substances. The agency has also led impactful nationwide anti-drug campaigns.

President Tinubu praised Marwa’s accomplishments, describing his reappointment as “a vote of confidence” in his relentless fight against drug trafficking and abuse. He urged the NDLEA boss to remain steadfast in pursuing drug syndicates targeting the nation’s youth.

Marwa, a former military governor of Lagos and Borno States, is now tasked with building on the momentum of his first tenure. His renewed mandate ensures that the Adamawa-born officer will continue steering the NDLEA until 2031.