Marwa charges Nigerian youths to lead campaign against drug abuse

The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has urged Nigerian youths to rise as intellectual ambassadors and advocates in the fight against drug abuse.

Marwa said this while addressing First Class university graduates selected across the country as Special Guest of Honour at the 2nd Peace Magazine Honour Roll Ceremony in Abuja.

In a statement issued by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi on Wednesday in Abuja, Marwa congratulated the awardees for their exceptional academic feats and urged them to channel their brilliance into nation-building.

According to him, your achievements today are not just academic milestones; but represent the promise of a better Nigeria.

“But that promise can only be fulfilled if you remain steadfast, disciplined, and drug-free. Drug abuse is the biggest saboteur of destiny and the enemy of excellence,” he said.

The NDLEA boss described the menace of substance abuse as a clear and present danger to the nation’s human capital and future.

“We are witnessing first-hand how illicit drugs derail futures, extinguish dreams, and lead talented youths down a path of mental instability, crime, and premature death.

“Drug abuse is not just a social problem; it is a national threat that undermines our future.”

The NDLEA chairman, however, urged the honoured graduates to use their intellectual influence to reinforce the message of abstinence and responsible living within their circles.

According to him, with your academic attainment today, when you speak, your younger siblings, cousins, friends and community members listen. Use your success story as a tool to preach abstinence.

“Tell them that true success comes from a clear mind, not from chemical intoxication. Help us dispel the myths that drugs enhance creativity, aid concentration, or are a solution to life’s pressures.

“Your academic achievements are the greatest proof that diligence and focus, not stimulants, are the true keys to distinction.

“Whether in your career, social gatherings, or religious forums, actively incorporate the message that drugs destroy individual potentials and national stability.”

Marwa enjoined the graduates to become NDLEA advocates of excellence and champions of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), the national social advocacy initiative led by the Agency.

He urged the youths to help in dispelling the myths that drugs enhance creativity or relieve pressure, adding that the fight against drug abuse must be a collective one and a whole-of-society effort.

He reiterated the commitment of the NDLEA to continue to cut off supply by dismantling cartels, arresting traffickers, and charged the youths to help reduce the demand through advocacy and positive influence.

He commended the organisers of the event for sustaining a platform that celebrates academic distinction and excellence, describing it as a “powerful counter-narrative” to social decay.