Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has explained that he had to undergo a surgical procedure recently to treat a long-standing lower back pain that was due to his sporting activities in his younger years in the Nigerian Army.

He stated this while responding to questions from journalists after a meeting with some French experts on drug supply reduction and law enforcement in his office at the NDLEA National Headquarters, Abuja on Thursday 17th March 2022.
When asked if he was admitted to a London hospital to undergo surgery as being rumored, 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 jump and triple jump events and hockey as well.”

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.

Speaking earlier at the meeting, the leader of the delegation and Executive Director, Africa, Smiths Detection, Mr. Gabriel Pequignot said the meeting was to discuss areas of partnership. “You are a great partner and we are here to discuss what we can do to support what you are doing”, he stated.

In his response, the NDLEA boss said support from Smiths Detection “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.”

Officials of Smiths Detection and their partners at the meeting include Messrs. Gabriel Pequignot; Loic Le Bret; Hani Jaffar; Max Zanoul and Joseph Marc Khoury.