The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), says Nigeria cannot fully unlock the wealth of its coastal and marine resources unless the nation treats the fight against drug trafficking as a critical line of defence for its emerging blue economy.
Speaking in Abuja at the Presidential Dinner for the Graduating Senior Executive Course 47/2025 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPS), organised by the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), Marwa drew a direct connection between maritime security, national prosperity, and the expanding threats posed by transnational drug syndicates.
He emphasised the enormous opportunities embedded in Nigeria's blue economy maritime transport, offshore oil and gas, coastal tourism, fisheries, and port operations.
However, he cautioned that this potential is being aggressively undermined by illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria's waterways.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
According to Marwa, drug smuggling syndicates exploit legitimate vessels, corrupt maritime infrastructure, and expose coastal communities to violence, pollution, and economic distortion.
He noted that chemicals from illicit drug production, including dangerous methamphetamine labs hidden in residential homes, pose irreversible environmental damage to Nigeria's marine ecosystem.
"To reclaim the full potential of our coastal and marine resources, we must therefore treat the war against drug trafficking as a direct defence of the blue economy," he stated.
He stressed that drug crime is not just a social problem but a direct assault on national development, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods.
The NDLEA chairman commended the graduating participants and emphasised the enormous opportunities embedded in Nigeria's blue economy maritime transport, offshore oil and gas, coastal tourism, fisheries, and port operations.
He cited recent seizures as evidence of the scale of the threat, including a one-ton cocaine interception in Tincan worth an estimated ₦360 billion, and two separate drug-laden vessels from Brazil still under detention.
He recalled earlier operations such as the 2.1-ton cocaine seizure in Ikorodu valued at nearly ₦800 billion in today's currency, with four of five kingpins already convicted.
Marwa concluded that safeguarding Nigeria's waters from drug syndicates is essential not only to save lives but to unlock billions in revenue, protect the environment, and secure a prosperous maritime-driven future for the country.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He assured that the NDLEA is intensifying intelligence operations across seaports and inland waterways in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, Customs, NIMASA, and international partners.
In his remarks, AANI National President, Ambassador Emmanuel Okafor, said the dinner also reflected President Bola Tinubu's directive for NIPS to develop a comprehensive blueprint to address the nation's security challenges.
Okafor praised the institute for grooming participants into strategic thinkers and urged the graduating class to uphold the values imparted during the course.
