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Drug War: NDLEA ‘ll deploy personnel in 774 LGAs in 2024 – Marwa

Published

2 years ago

October 27, 2023

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Drug War: NDLEA ‘ll deploy personnel in 774 LGAs in 2024 – Marwa

. Katsina Gov. Radda seeks partnership with Agency

By: Michael Mike

Personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are to be deployed in all 774 local government areas of the country.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) of the agency who said the deployment would be made sometimes in 2024, revealed that the was part of efforts to strengthen the war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking especially in local communities.

He stated this while responding to request for partnership and deployment of more NDLEA officers in all parts of Katsina State by the state governor, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda to tame the problem of drug abuse and insecurity.

Marwa said with the agency’s staff strength expected to rise to 15,000 by the end of the year, the next “development is to deploy in the LGAs. We currently have zonal commands, state commands, and area commands. We want to go to the LGAs for the offensive action and the advocacy work. We would need more support to succeed. I appreciate the work of the Katsina governor as the challenges are numerous in governing the state. But if insecurity is a problem and is fueled by drugs, I believe we have to collectively take it out of the security equation.”

He commended Governor Radda for his efforts to surmount the various challenges faced and enhance the socio-economic development of the state.

He noted that: “The drug menace is a huge issue and has destroyed the lives of our youths and communities. It is the public enemy number one, and especially the criminal aspect of it. 99% of the criminals must first have access to drugs and be under the influence to perpetrate some of their acts. That is why the NDLEA under the collective support of the directorates and the management has put all efforts towards operation ‘offensive action.’ This involves going out to seize all drugs cultivated, imported or on the verge of being exported out of the country.

“Over 6,668 tons of illicit substances have been seized in two years, and we assure that we will continue relentlessly until the streets are clean of drugs. This is the drug supply reduction aspect, where we arrest the perpetrators of the act, and over 36,096 suspects have been arrested and more than 6,043 already prosecuted and convicted within this period.”

He said the other side of the fight is drug demand reduction, which focuses on prevention, treatment and aftercare of drug dependent persons. “The preventive measure faces those who have not started or are about starting drug use. They are targeted through advocacy and sensitisation across all levels. It is for this reason we structured the WADA initiative from the National to LGA levels. We appeal to the government to have a state drug control committee of which the NDLEA will be the secretary and the chairperson would be the First Lady of the state. The first ladies are in the strategic position, because they are the mothers and have the best interest of the government at heart.”

Speaking earlier, Governor Radda said he was at the agency as part of his government’s efforts to solve the problem of insecurity facing the state.

He said. “It is no longer news that the problem of insecurity has been ongoing for years and insecurity is one of the major issues confronting Katsina state. We receive unpleasant news almost on a daily basis on what has been the issues disturbing the state for a long time. We have taken some needful steps, we set up a Katsina community watch corps with locals to complement the efforts of the conventional security agencies but that is not enough. We decided to reach out to the NDLEA under the leadership of the Chairman/Chief Executive to combine our efforts and synergise to mitigate the effect of insecurity in the state. We must get to the root of the problem, and the root of the problem is drug abuse by the teeming youths in the state. We know that these inhumane acts cannot be committed without the influence of drugs.

“This synergy is important and I recognize that the NDLEA has been making a lot of efforts in supporting the government. But we still need more support from the Chairman/Chief Executive to stop the movement of drugs and ensure the arrest and prosecution of dealers in the state. We are appealing for better partnership and synergy to reduce the abuse of drugs, the activities of banditry and trafficking in the state. We hope the partnership will go a long way in alleviating the issues of the state and improving the economy. Once insecurity is reduced, economic activities will be conducted better. I appeal to the NDLEA for this support, and on behalf of the Katsina state government, we appreciate the NDLEA for the work you are doing. We hope this visit enhances a better working relationship between the NDLEA and the state.”

Drug War: NDLEA ‘ll deploy personnel in 774 LGAs in 2024 – Marwa

News

Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno

Published

2 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled suspected insurgents and neutralised a suspected informant during operations in Ngamdu area of Borno.

Military sources said the action followed signals intelligence indicating that suspected Boko Haram elements were massing.

At about 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, troops carried out a fire mission on the identified area, forcing the insurgents to disperse and abort their suspected plan.

Shortly afterward, at about 3:45 a.m., troops engaged and neutralised a suspected insurgent informant who attempted to breach the trench defensive position in Ngamdu.

Sources said the troops immediately conducted a search of the surrounding area after the encounter but made no further contact with fleeing suspects.

Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno

News

Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers

Published

2 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have disrupted a suspected terrorist gathering and arrested five suspected arms smugglers during separate operations in Yobe State.

Security sources said that at about 6:21 p.m. on Feb. 17, troops conducted a fire mission following credible intelligence that terrorists were converging in large numbers on motorcycles at Mangari, about 10.6 kilometres from the location of the 135 Special Forces Battalion in Buratai.

The swift action forced the insurgents to disperse in disarray, effectively disrupting their suspected plans.

In a separate development, troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Potiskum apprehended five suspected arms smugglers and abductors at about 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 at a checkpoint along the Gombe–Potiskum road.

Those arrested included a 41-year-old suspect, Baba Abare, who was found in possession of an AK-47 rifle, alongside four others identified as Idris Zakari, 33; Nasiru Aliyu, 25; Abdullahi Sulaiman, 35; and Mohammed Idris, 34, all said to be indigenes of Potiskum town.

The suspects were intercepted in two Golf Wagon vehicles bearing registration numbers Borno NGL-506XA and Kaduna DKD16-01.

They were disarmed and handed over to appropriate authorities for further investigation.

Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers

News

Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva’s Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene

Published

2 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva's Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene

Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva’s Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene

The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Grassroot Movement (BSAGM), has expressed deep dissatisfaction over the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri biased, marginalized conduct of the party ward congress in the state.

Condemning in strong terms the APC ward congress conducted on Wednesday, 18th of February, 2026, the group described the process as witch-hunt of a selected group of stakeholders and leaders in the party.

A statement issued on Thursday by the group’s spokesman, Mr John Peremobowei, condemned the governor’s deliberate segregation of key stakeholders in various wards geared towards generating division.

Some APC stalwarts through their followers have expressed profound dissatisfaction on the social media over segregation and non-inclusion of critical stakeholders who stood firmly as an opposition in building the “Hausa party” in Bayelsa State.

They stated that Governor Douye Diri’s failure to conduct an all inclusive APC congress in various wards across the state; which is his first assignment as party leader after defection, has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that the governor is incapable to manage affairs of the party in the state.

The group said “Governor Diri who could not manage insignificant affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP leading to Mr George Turnah factional leadership in Bayelsa, has transferred the same attitude from the PDP to the APC barely four months of defection.

“The governor whose administration and leadership depend, and feed on propaganda, rumours, gossip from subordinates without investigation before making decisions, obviously cannot build, neither maintain the APC–as he couldn’t manage the PDP.

“Senator Diri leadership of division, propaganda to incite leaders against other leaders, can’t build people like he was deliberately built by the likes of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, Chief Timi Alaibe, Senator Seriake Dickson and others.

“Diri is a Supreme Court Governor who has never had grassroot support due to failure to manage people from his days in house of representatives, senate till date as governor, and the Bayelsa APC is in trouble because he can’t build neither maintain a party.”

The group said the governor who was a financier of Atiku-Okowa PDP presidential ticket, and worked so hard against President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, defected to the APC for fear of prosecution by the anti-corruption agencies over misappropriation.

Governor Diri who has been receiving over thirty-four billion naira and above on a monthly basis from the federation account since the inception of President Bola Tinubu administration, was caught by the United States interpol with huge amount of money early 2025.

The group’s spokesman cried out to the APC National Working Committee, President Bola Tinubu for immediate intervention, saying followers/loyalists of the former governor and minister, Chief Timipre Sylva were sidelined in the ward congress in various wards across the state, describing it as witch-hunt.

“Sylva with the support of loyalists brought APC to Bayelsa, and fought so hard to build, and strengthen the party as an opposition, and today, he is unjustly marginalized in the party.

“Despite undeserved exclusion in the party congresses, we the steadfast supporters of Chief Timipre Sylva will stand firm in galvanizing support for President Bola Tinubu re-election.

“We have stood firm in APC even as an opposition in the state, but can’t relent now that it is the ruling party.

“We call on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, as he did in Rivers, and call Governor Douye Diri to order–as his actions are targeted towards generating division in the party.

Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva’s Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene