Tinubu Extends Marwa’s NDLEA Tenure to 2031 Amid Internal Allegations of Bias
The reappointment of Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd) as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been confirmed for another five-year term, extending his stewardship of the NDLEA to 2031. The move, announced on Friday through a formal statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, underscores renewed federal backing for Marwa’s anti-narcotics campaign.
According to Onanuga, the President is convinced that Marwa’s commitment to combating drug trafficking and drug abuse remains vital to the nation’s safety and public health. He emphasised that the decision aligns with the administration’s broader security and social protection priorities.
Marwa, an Adamawa-born retired military officer, first assumed leadership of the NDLEA in January 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. His tenure has been characterised by a series of high-profile drug seizures, expanded enforcement operations, and intensified public awareness initiatives.
In an accompanying message, President Tinubu commended Marwa’s performance and encouraged him to sustain the agency’s upward trajectory.
“This renewal of your mandate reflects trust in your drive, your discipline, and the results you continue to deliver,” the President said.
“Stay vigilant, stay firm, and do not ease the pressure on those peddling substances that endanger our citizens, especially our young people.”
However, PulseNets learnt that not all stakeholders within the NDLEA are aligned with the celebration. Some officers, speaking anonymously due to what they described as fear of reprisals, alleged that Marwa’s leadership has been tainted by favouritism and regional bias. They further claimed that the internal optimism that greeted his initial appointment in 2021 has since diminished.
One of the aggrieved officers told PulseNets that the enthusiasm that swept through the agency at the time of Marwa’s arrival “quickly faded” after staff observed what they described as a tilt toward “political positioning and regional prioritisation.” Another officer alleged that decisions under Marwa increasingly appear designed to “please northern interests rather than strengthen the institution.”
Documents obtained by PulseNets show that the controversial 2023 recruitment of 5,000 personnel has been a major point of contention. Insiders alleged that the process was heavily skewed, with an estimated 75 percent of new recruits drawn from northern states, particularly Adamawa, Katsina, and Kano.
Some officers further claimed that individuals with no operational value to the agency—including elderly women and spouses of both serving and retired military generals—were included in the enlistment list.
“Those recruitments raised real concerns. How can grandparents who have no field relevance be part of an enforcement agency as sensitive as the NDLEA?” one officer reported.
Also Read: NDLEA intercepts 230,600 Tramadol tablets, arrests 106 suspects in Kano
Despite the criticisms, the Presidency maintains confidence in Marwa’s capacity to deliver. The renewed term signals that the federal government is prepared to stand by him as he continues the fight against drug syndicates across Nigeria.
