We've seized assets, drugs worth N500b from barons - Marwa

• Published date: 18 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa Rtd said the agency has seized assets and drugs worth N500 billion from barons since he took over in January 2021.

He stated an officer of the agency was killed in Sokoto last week.

The NDLEA Boss warned that unrepentant drug barons and cartels will face tougher times in 2023 if they fail to back out of the illicit drug business.

Marwa spoke at the NDLEA national headquarters in Abuja.

He said: 'The seizure of assets combined with drugs is a rough figure of N500 billion. Of course the value of the drugs is up in smoke because we burn it all.'

On the killed NDLEA personnel, he said: 'One of our officers was killed in action last week. What happens in the various communities is that some of the barons build schools, clinics and they give scholarships. They try to demonstrate to the communities that they are indispensable partners and helpers. So when we go into such communities, they also arm some of their militants. So when we go into these communities for operations, they respond in favour of the barons and we get casualties.

'What is important though is that we never allow any single incident to go unpunished. We never allow any of our personnel killed to be killed in vain. We always go after them.'

Buba Marwa shows...