A United States security research organisation has named the Chairman of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), as Security Leader of the Year 2025, citing operational efficiency, reforms, integrity and rising public trust under his watch.
Texas-based Ogun Security Research and Strategic Consulting LLC (OSRS) announced the recognition in a statement posted on its website on Thursday, describing Marwa’s leadership as the “clear choice” in a year marked by terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking and waning public confidence in state institutions.
According to the statement signed on Thursday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the organisation, its selection followed an independent, AI-assisted, evidence-based review of Nigeria’s security landscape, which found that 2025 “demanded more than force — it demanded leadership that delivered results while protecting rights and strengthening institutions.”
OSRS said it benchmarked security leaders against four criteria: measurable national impact, respect for rule of law, internal discipline and welfare, and public trust. Marwa topped each category.
“Artificial intelligence was used to analyse open source reports, performance data and verified records. Human experts validated each output. Across all indicators, one leader consistently ranked highest,” the organisation stated.
The group highlighted what it called “historic outcomes” by the NDLEA in 2025, including the dismantling of transnational trafficking syndicates, record seizures of illicit substances, and intelligence-driven operations that disrupted financial networks linked to terrorism and banditry.
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It noted that the agency’s actions went beyond arrests, targeting the commercial backbone of criminal groups and delivering “security impact beyond traditional law enforcement.”
OSRS also commended reforms within the agency — from accountability tools like body-worn cameras to clearer promotion pathways and improved welfare — saying these measures boosted morale, curbed corruption and sustained operational consistency.
Led by global security analyst Dr. Oludare Ogunlana, OSRS said the NDLEA was one of the few Nigerian security institutions to avoid major scandals in 2025.
“Marwa’s leadership emphasised professionalism over intimidation and accountability over impunity. Trust was earned through consistency, not rhetoric,” the statement read.
OSRS argued that the award signals a shift in how security leadership should be assessed in Nigeria, stressing the need for integrity-driven institutions, staff welfare, and intelligence-led operations across the sector.
“Marwa’s selection is not about personality. It is about proof,” the organisation added. “In a year of pressure and uncertainty, his leadership showed that results, reform and trust can coexist.”
