By Onyebuchi Sampson
Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), yesterday, pledged to sustain efforts at reducing drug supply in the country.
Marwa spoke when he received in audience, a delegation of French experts on drug supply reduction, led by Executive Director, Africa, Smiths Detection, Mr Gabriel Pequignot, in his office at the NDLEA National Headquarters, Abuja. The Trumpet gathered.
The NDLEA boss solicited support from Smiths Detection, saying it “is a very important component of our work. We need the equipment to aid our task of drug supply reduction.”
He assured that “NDLEA will continue in its stride towards the attainment of its ultimate goal of making Nigeria drug-free and will continue to respond strongly and appropriately to all issues of drug abuse and trafficking.
“While pursuing our drug supply reduction goals, we have intensified the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across the states of the federation in pursuit of our drug demand reduction goal.”
Pequignot had earlier explained that the meeting with the NDLEA boss by officials of Smiths Detection and their partners, which include, Messrs. Gabriel Pequignot; Loic Le Bret; Hani Jaffar; Max Zanoul and Joseph Marc Khoury, was to discuss areas of partnership.
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“You are a great partner and we are here to discuss what we can do to support what you are doing,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Marwa has explained that the surgical procedure he underwent recently in London was to treat a long-standing lower back pain caused by his sporting activities during his younger years in the Nigerian Army.
Asked if he was admitted in a London hospital to undergo surgery as was rumoured, Gen. Marwa said: “Indeed, I recently had surgery for long-standing lower back pain that was due to my sporting activities in my younger years in the Nigerian Army.
“Aside from being an avid polo player, I was an active member of the Nigerian Army athletics team in the 1970s when I participated in the long and triple jump events as well as hockey.”
While dismissing all other insinuations, he said he has since returned to his desk to continue his vision of strengthening the agency and the mission of curbing drug trafficking and abuse in the country.
“As we speak, the assignment is on course and that’s the essence of the meeting with officials of Smiths Detection today,” he added.
