Marwa Seeks Nationwide Support for Alternative Development to Curb Illicit Drug Cultivation

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), the chairman and chief executive officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has urged widespread support for Nigeria’s recently implemented alternative development program and called for a coordinated national response against illicit drug cultivation.

In order to guarantee the initiative’s success, Marwa made the plea during a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, emphasizing the necessity of ongoing cooperation between government agencies, communities, development partners, and the private sector.

The first alternative development initiative in Africa was recently introduced as a pilot program in three cannabis-producing towns in Ondo State: Ilu Abo, Ifon, and Eleyewo.

Marwa claims that by giving the impacted communities legal and long-term economic options, the program aims to address the underlying causes of illegal drug production.

The head of the NDLEA explained that the program goes beyond simply substituting other crops for cannabis; it also enhances food security, builds agricultural value chains, fosters rural economic growth, and eases the burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

He pointed out that the strategy also promotes social stability and tranquility in places where drug-related criminality was previously a problem.

The degree of acceptance by host communities and traditional authorities, according to Marwa, showed the efficacy of community-driven solutions, even though she described the pilot phase as optimistic.

He clarified that locals have welcomed the program as a respectable route to better livelihoods, less poverty, and increased local security.

Marwa emphasized that Nigeria’s drug problem, especially cannabis usage and cultivation, required a change from enforcement-only tactics to UN-approved development-focused approaches.

He referenced data from the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, which showed that over 14 million Nigerians have used psychoactive substances in a year, with cannabis being the most often used substance.

He went on to say that cannabis is still the most widely used illegal substance in Nigeria, with millions of users and thousands of hectares of land under production, especially in the Southwest’s forested regions.

He claims that organized crime networks that supply both domestic and international markets are frequently connected to these cultivation facilities.

Widespread cannabis production and use present major threats to public health, society, and security, particularly for young people, the NDLEA chairman cautioned.

He said that cannabis accounted for almost 75% of all illegal substances found by the agency over the previous five years, highlighting the severity of the issue.

Despite the difficulty, Marwa was hopeful that with strong political will and ongoing stakeholder cooperation, the alternative development program may drastically cut down on illicit cultivation.

He underlined that the program is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially with regard to community development, agriculture, and security.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, agricultural research institutions, and development organizations from several nations were among the local and international partners Marwa praised for their support of the pilot initiative.

Additionally, he thanked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ondo State Government for their cooperation.

He described the program as a people-focused intervention aimed at protecting Nigeria’s future and urged communities impacted by illegal drug cultivation to collaborate closely with the NDLEA in creating safe, secure, and productive lifestyles.