BREAKING: Tinubu Reappoints Marwa as NDLEA Boss, Extends Tenure Amid Unmatched War on Drugs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the reappointment of Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for another five-year term, solidifying his position as the nation’s foremost anti-narcotics czar.

The announcement, made on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, signals the administration’s firm commitment to sustaining the unprecedented momentum in Nigeria’s drug war. With this extension, Marwa will remain at the helm of the NDLEA until 2031.

Marwa, who was first appointed in January 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, has earned wide acclaim for transforming the NDLEA into one of the most formidable drug enforcement institutions in Africa. Prior to taking charge of the agency, he served as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (2018–2020), where he laid the groundwork for several of the reforms now being implemented nationwide.

A proud son of Adamawa State, Marwa is a decorated retired military officer and former military governor of Lagos and Borno States. His distinguished career spans decades, beginning with his commissioning as a second lieutenant in 1973. He went on to serve in pivotal roles, including 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.

He also represented Nigeria abroad as Deputy Defence Adviser at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC, and later as Defence Adviser to Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Marwa’s academic laurels include a Master of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University—credentials that have contributed significantly to his strategic leadership approach.

Under his watch, the NDLEA has recorded historic strides: more than 73,000 drug offenders arrested, over 15 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs seized, and hundreds of drug cartels disrupted—including high-profile kingpins long considered untouchable. His tenure has also witnessed an aggressive nationwide campaign against drug abuse, with renewed emphasis on youth sensitisation and rehabilitation.

President Tinubu, in praising Marwa’s exceptional performance, described his reappointment as a resounding vote of confidence. He urged the NDLEA boss to “intensify the heat” on drug cartels, traffickers, and criminal networks determined to threaten the future of Nigerian youths.

With this fresh mandate, analysts say Marwa is poised to deepen reforms, expand intelligence-driven operations, and further entrench Nigeria’s position as a continental leader in counter-narcotics enforcement.