Officers Accuse NDLEA Chairman, Marwa, Of Nepotism, Lopsided Appointments

-Allegations Baseless, Untrue – Agency’s Spokesperson

Some officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have accused its Chairman, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), of nepotism and discrimination in the administration of the agency.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos, the aggrieved officers who would not want their names mentioned because of fears of victimisation, also accused Marwa of being a regional leader who cares only for his northern tribes.

They stated that when Marwa was first announced as the new Chairman/Chief Executive Officer CCEO of NDLEA, every staff of the Agency were jubilating with a very high hopes and spirit that their era of suffering is gone.

They added that their hopes were unfortunately dashed because “Marwa has been using the NDLEA platform for his political ambition to satisfy the interest of his northern people”.

“He uses every opportunities in NDLEA to please officers of northern extraction at the detriment of officers from the southern part of the country. Let me dissect my claim with the following points:

“The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer CCEO of NDLEA Brigadier General Buba Muhammed Marwa (retd) who is supposed to be a leader for all and sundry turned out a regional leader who cares only for his northern people”, the officers alleged.

They also alleged that the recruitment exercise of five thousand personnel of 2023 was one sided, adding that about 75 per cent of the recruits were from the North with higher numbers from Adamawa, Katsina and Kano State.

They further alleged that amongst the enlisted personnel were grandparents from the north such as wives of both retired and serving army Generals that can not be beneficial to the agency.

“These people are far above the required age limit of 30 years. Most of them were declared untrainable by their drill instructors during their training.

“They formed Army Generals Wives Association in academy while on training. Marwa denied majority of Nigerian youths the opportunity to serve their father land just to satisfy his political and military friends from the north.

“The said recruitment exercise was supervised by his military friend, a retired army Colonel, who he appointed as his Special Adviser from Kano and a serving Lieutenant Colonel, from Katsina.

“The said retired Colonel was once detained by late General Abacha for allegedly coup plotting. While the serving Lieutenant Colonel, is a friend and course mate to Marwa son in Nigeria army.

“Marwa appointed him as his Military Assistant and later upgraded to Chief of Staff as against the wishes of the NDLEA Directors that are Deputy Commander General of Narcotics DCGN who are far his seniors.

“They were subjected to report to him until his exit to a military course abroad. These two are the arrow head of Mafia moving NDLEA aground”, the aggrieved officers alleged.

On promotions, the aggrieved personnel said: “promotion in NDLEA is in total mess as qualifications at the point of entry does not matter.

“It is a clear rule in the Agency that personnel enlisted with SSCE, OND and NCE cannot exceed the rank of Chief Superintendent of Narcotics unless they have additional qualifications which must be approved by the management.

“The rule was bent in the last promotion exercise under Marwa for some officers from the North. Brigadier General Buba Muhammed Marwa retired is not what he actually paraded himself to be.

“He is one of the people that enjoyed the regimental setting in this country and he knows the frustration inherent in promoting junior above the seniors. But he cares not, so far his northern people are happy.

“It is an open secret that some desperate officers bring fake degree certificates and management deliberately refused to verify the authenticity of such certificates before promoting them.

“A situation where double promotions were given to some northern officers and imposed them on their seniors is the order of the day under Marwa”.
The aggrieved officers called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to come to their rescue, by looking into the issues raised.

However, in its response, the Agency in a statement issued by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said insinuations in some social media posts suggesting that appointments into high ranking positions are tilted in favour of Northern Muslims against Southern Christians are false.

The statement reads: “For the benefit of the reading public, the Agency will like to state as follows:

“Out of the 20 Directors/Commandant in NDLEA, 14 are Christians and 6 Muslims; of the 14 Zonal Commanders, 9 are Christians and 5 Muslims.

“Out of 37 State Commanders, 19 are Christians and 18 Muslims; of the 14 Special Area Commanders, 10 are Christians and 4 Muslims; out of 12 Coordinators/Heads of Units, 9 are Christians and 3 Muslims; while out of 11 Heads of Operation, 7 are Christians and 4 are Muslims.

“In all, out of the 108 topmost appointments and positions in the Agency, 68 of them are occupied by Christians and 40 Muslims, which represents a ratio of 63 to 37 per cent as against the perception some mischief makers are trying to create against the leadership of the Agency.

“The Agency wishes to assure the public that its leadership remains focused and committed to the goal of curbing the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking while upholding the tenets of fairness, equity, and merit in its distribution of opportunities for its workforce.”