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Drug war: First Lady, UNODC, Marwa Charge States on Community-based Interventions

Drug war: First Lady, UNODC, Marwa Charge States on Community-based Interventions
State governments have been charged to embrace and entrench community-based interventions that will curb the impact of the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking at the grassroots in line with the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP).
The charge was the highpoint of remarks by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Cheikh Toure as well as ECOWAS representative, Dr. Daniel Amankwaah at a training workshop organized by NDLEA for the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum in Abuja on Tuesday.
The First Lady, in her keynote address to the gathering, commended the NDLEA, and NGSF for the initiative aimed at advancing drug control efforts to the grassroots across the country. She specifically commended Marwa and his team “for courageously confronting the fight against illicit drug abuse and trafficking in the country.”
Senator Tinubu, who was represented by wife of the Deputy Senate President, Hajiya Laila Jibrin Barau said: “This training cannot be coming at any better time than now when statistics and daily life experiences are revealing that drugs have infiltrated every nook and cranny of our communities. As a nation, we are confronted with a growing crisis, one that affects the very core of our society, the health, safety, and future of our children.
“The rising tide of drug and substance abuse amongst adolescents is a challenge that we must no longer ignore or tackle in isolation. It requires concerted efforts, community-driven response, one that integrates enforcement, education, family support, and sustained intervention. Our presence at this training testifies to the collective resolve we display in ensuring that we strengthen, secure, and safeguard families and communities.
“Today’s training will ensure that we are adequately armed with the right knowledge, tools, skills, and competencies necessary to effectively tackle this complex issue. It is my hope that this capacity-building workshop, through honest discussions and sharing of best practices, will provide valuable insights into evidence-based strategies for prevention, early intervention, and holistic treatment approaches, especially targeting marginalized and vulnerable communities.
“I urge us to utilize the knowledge gathered at this training to develop viable solutions while collaborating with relevant stakeholders, especially the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, other law enforcement agencies, MDAs, civil society organizations, healthcare providers, educators, and community leaders.
“Let us always bear in mind that as state First Ladies, you owe our people the duty to lead by example, to bear their burden, and share in their pain as we jointly confront drug abuse in our society. I urge us to continue to provide the right direction through prevention initiatives, advocating for those whose voices have been silenced by addiction, providing community interventions to support recovery and reintegrate people into communities after treatment.
“Let us approach the formidable task ahead with humility, doggedness, and commitment to enable us to build communities where our children are protected from harm and empowered to thrive. Together, we can change the narrative, restore dignity to our communities, and ensure a healthier, safer future for all Nigerians.”
In his welcome address, Marwa noted that the drug scourge obstructs progress and dims prospects in an already beleaguered world. “Regrettably, Nigeria is not immune to this scourge, which steadily infiltrates every stratum of our society. Statistics, academic research, and lived experiences alike reveal a grim reality about illicit drug use and consequences in the country. The magnitude and impact of the drug crisis render the attainment of our national aspiration—improving the health and security of all who dwell within our borders, as enshrined in the National Drug Control Master Plan 2021–2025—a daunting yet inevitable task for any government and people worthy of the name.”
He also said it is imperative for all stakeholders at the workshop to adopt urgent, holistic, and inclusive strategies to dismantle the drug menace. According to him, “Over the past four years, the NDLEA has pursued this mission with renewed and unwavering zeal, ensuring that Nigeria’s hard-won global and regional drug control successes are not merely preserved but expanded.
“Permit me to inform this distinguished gathering that over the four years, the NDLEA has deployed substantial resources towards a comprehensive assault on the drug problem, yielding significant outcomes. Under the drug supply reduction mandate—encompassing drug seizures, arrests, prosecutions, and convictions—we recorded the arrest of 62,595 drug suspects (Including 68 drug barons), the seizure of 10,317,137.55 kilograms of assorted drugs, and secured the conviction of 11,628 offenders. Furthermore, 1,330.56553 hectares of cannabis farms were identified and destroyed.
“To ensure a balanced approach in accordance with international best practices, equal emphasis has been placed on drug demand reduction. Between January 2021 and March 2025, a total of 24,375 drug users received counselling and treatment at NDLEA facilities, primarily through brief interventions. Concurrently, 10,501 drug sensitisation programmes were conducted nationwide under the auspices of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy campaign, reaching diverse target groups within communities. In parallel, a remarkable 3, 843, 789 participants were mobilized to partake in these enlightenment initiatives undertaken across the nation.”
He charged the stakeholders not to surrender to despair over the menace of drug abuse. “As patriots and vanguards of our nation’s well-being, it falls on us to strengthen our resolve, to move with deliberate speed towards practical and lasting resolutions that will, God willing, break the vicious cycle of drug abuse. This capacity building event represents a stride, small though it may seem, in the proper direction.
“Since it is at the community level that the burden of the drug menace is most acutely felt, it is vital that stakeholders, including all of us gathered here today, address the different dimensions of the problem from a community-centred perspective. This gathering must strive for common ground, developing indigenous and pragmatic solutions that go beyond mere statistics and harrowing headlines, addressing instead the real and harrowing human toll of drug abuse.”
He also expressed confidence that the training will strengthen capacities, harness community resources, and unlock the potential needed to formulate and implement evidence-based interventions that will salvage and rejuvenate every segment of beleaguered communities. “Let us, as frontliners, ever remember: the cost of inaction is infinitely higher than the cost of collective action. Your Excellencies, your roles as mothers, changemakers, and drivers of the State Drug Control Committees (SDCC) place upon you a sacred trust—a responsibility not to be borne lightly. Through your ingenuity, your states may yet emerge as shining examples, immortalised in gold as bastions of hope that defied the tides of darkness.
“The SDCCs remain a potent platform for fostering multisectoral collaboration in the crucial task of drug demand reduction at the state level. I must fervently implore you to ensure the establishment, strengthening, and revitalisation of these Committees across your respective states. Let us always remember that the value of these training events lies not in the richness of their content alone, but in the continued motion and effectiveness of the SDCCs—moving resolutely towards our collective aspiration of a drug-free, resilient Nigeria”, he added.
Also speaking at the workshop, UNODC Country Rep Cheikh Toure stated that “If the root of this crisis lies in our neighborhoods, schools, and homes, then the solution must too. The National Drug Control Master Plan and the WADA initiative remind us of that national framework alone cannot heal fractured communities. Lasting change begins when states and local governments own this fight.”
He reminded the first ladies that their influence transcends politics, adding that “you are the custodian of trust in your states. When you speak, community listens. When you act, local governments follow. Today, I urge us to channel this unique power into three pillars of action. Number one, state-led resource mobilization. Every state must prioritize dedicated budget for prevention and treatment. This means establishing a state-specific drug control task force to align with NDLEA’s national efforts, allocating local government funds to build community drop-in centres, safe space for counseling, and care within walking distance of those in need.”
The UNODC chief stated further that states must adopt evidence-based programmes to their cultural contexts, and decentralize treatment access. The head of ECOWAS Drug Prevention and Control Division, Dr. Daniel Amankwaah spoke in same light in his goodwill message, urging state governments to invest in prevention and treatment efforts at the state and community-levels.
Experts who served as resource persons during the technical session of the workshop include: Dr. Martins Agwogie, Prof. Akintunde Oyedokun, Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, Dr. Kunle Adeshina, Dr. Abubakar Salami, Dr. Kunle Adeshina and Dr. Ngozi Madubuike.
Drug war: First Lady, UNODC, Marwa Charge States on Community-based Interventions
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Airstrike Hits ISWAP Enclave in Tumbuma Baba, scores Nutrialised

Airstrike Hits ISWAP Enclave in Tumbuma Baba, scores Nutrialised
By: Zagazola Makama
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), under the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), conducted a successful Air Interdiction (AI) mission at a terrorists’ hideout in the Southern Tumbuns general area in the Lake Chad of Borno, killing scores of the terrorists.
Intelligent sources told Zagazola Makama that the precision air strike, which took place at about 2100 hours on 5 May 2025, targeted a major terrorists’ concentration camp located in the Tumbuma Baba axis of Lake Chad.
The sources said that the offensive was in continuation of a decisive Operation KALACHEN WUTA II, aimed at denying terrorists the freedom to execute large-scale attacks during the Eid el-Kabir period.
The sources said that Intelligence and Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) reports confirmed that several terrorists were neutralised during the strike, and key logistics under heavy foliage were destroyed.
The sources said that the strikes followed credible intelligence on planned coordinated attacks by the insurgents before, during, and after the Eid festivities. The mission was meticulously planned and executed to forestall such threats and sustain pressure on terrorist elements operating in the Lake Chad fringes.
“We observed significant secondary explosions, indicating the presence of arms and fuel storage. Multiple terrorists were seen fleeing the area, while several others were eliminated during the strike,” the source said.
The sources said efforts are ongoing to gather further feedback, as well as to assess the operational impact of the interdiction.
He added that preliminary signs suggest a high level of disarray and panic within the terrorists’ ranks, with reports of attempted regrouping under surveillance.
Airstrike Hits ISWAP Enclave in Tumbuma Baba, scores Nutrialised
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Nigerian Air Force Neutralises Terrorists in Successful Air Interdiction at Maisani

Nigerian Air Force Neutralises Terrorists in Successful Air Interdiction at Maisani
By: Zagazola Makama
The Nigerian Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai have executed a coordinated strike on a major terrorist enclave located at Maisani in the Timbuktu Triangle general area of Borno State, killing several ISWAP terrorists.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the air interdiction mission conducted on May 4, 2025, at approximately 1800 hours, was informed by credible intelligence and sustained surveillance, targeted terrorists’ structures cleverly concealed and camouflaged under thick shrubs in the area.
The sources said that using advanced platforms, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) conducted a focused Air Interdiction (AI) mission, resulting in the destruction of the identified enemy hideouts and the neutralisation of an unconfirmed number of insurgent fighters.
According to the sources, Post-strike Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) obtained from our Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms confirmed that the airstrike achieved its intended objectives, dealing a significant blow to terrorists.
Nigerian Air Force Neutralises Terrorists in Successful Air Interdiction at Maisani
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Nigeria Looks to World Bank to Tackle Challenges of National Capital Accounting

Nigeria Looks to World Bank to Tackle Challenges of National Capital Accounting
By: Michael Mike
As the world marks the 2025 Environment Day, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has appealed to the World Bank for support on capacity building, data and in addressing the challenges poised by Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) in the country.
Head of Department, National Accounts Energy and Environment at the NBS, Dr. Baba Madu made the appeal at the 2025 Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) Conference on Thursday in Abuja with support from the World Bank in. collaboration with the NBS and the Federal Ministry of Environment.
Madu while noting that the NCA was a new area Nigeria must exploit to further boost the nation’s economy, said for Nigeria to grow and be at par with other developed nations, there was need to account for her natural resources.
He said: “NCA has been tasked with the crucial role of integrating natural capital into economic measurement. It is impossible to measure the economy accurately without accounting for natural resources. Issues such as environmental degradation, afforestation, desertification, and climate change all directly impact productivity.
“Productivity in turn, influences output—one of the core components of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These environmental factors must be reflected across all economic activity sectors to present a more accurate picture of national output.”
While stating that Nigeria currently has data on NCA in Nigeria, the NBS official however raised concerns over the huge data gap from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the environment sector.
He said: “We are not doing badly but we need to improve on what we are doing. In terms of data sources, I can tell you there’s a big gap because these are new areas needed to be exploited.”
Programme Leader on Sustainable Development at the World Bank, Vina Vutukuru, said there was need to jointly
explore the vital role of national accounting in national development plans and to brainstorm on how Nigeria could institutionalize it.
He said: “Establishing the national capital accounting as part of the national account system will allow us to measure the economic value of ecosystem services such as clean air, water and biodiversity which are essential for our well-being and economic prosperity.”
Vutukuru commended Nigeria for having “very bold ambitions” as far as responding to climate change was concerned saying, “That shows the commitment of the policy makers here towards the issue of climate.
“But I think to back up that aspiration and the aggressive goals that Nigeria has set for itself, the foundational thing for those goals to materialize those objectives to come true is a very strong natural account system.”
Head of Media, National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), Chioma Azie who represented her Director General, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe at the event, described Nigeria as a very ambitious country, stressing that natural resources was instrumental to achieving all the objective of climate action.
She said: “Technology, policy reforms, behavioral changes has a role to play but natural resources is very key because they’re underpinning the mitigation and adaptation for climate action.
“If you look at Nigeria’s NDC, the NCA is an avenue to provide raw materials that we could use to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies.
“If you look at what we have done in terms of this NDC in 2020.which is the second leg of the NDC, we identified a lot of mitigation activities within this mentioned sectors of ours. In agricultural sector we talked about smart agriculture. What is smart agriculture without natural resources?
“We talked about biomass, what is biomass without natural resources? We also spoke about land use changes and that is natural resources, we talk about natural solutions and we talked about also afforestation, reafforestation. Those are mitigation potentials of our NDC. So, we cannot achieve our NDC without SEEA.
“What you cannot be able to account for is recorded as if it is not done so if we know what is existing in terms of the reservoirs we have for natural resources, it can inform the scope of the mitigation activities we’re going to be imputing in the NDC 3.0,” she said.
Nigeria Looks to World Bank to Tackle Challenges of National Capital Accounting
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