We must move from arresting offenders to dismantling criminal enterprises — Marwa

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), chairman/chief executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has urged investigators and prosecutors to shift focus from mere arrests to dismantling the financial structures underpinning narcotics trafficking. Speaking on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, during the opening of an advanced capacity-building programme in Abuja, Marwa highlighted the need for a more comprehensive approach to combatting drug-related crimes. The initiative aims to equip personnel with skills in financial investigations, asset tracing, forfeiture, and recovery of proceeds tied to narcotics trafficking and related organised crime. Marwa stressed that the war against drug cartels cannot be won solely through arrests and drug seizures. Instead, he argued that the financial systems sustaining these criminal networks must be targeted. He explained that drug trafficking operates as an economic enterprise, supported by financiers, facilitators, money launderers, and professional enablers who operate behind the scenes. These individuals often utilise technology, cryptocurrencies, complex corporate structures, and legitimate businesses to obscure the origins and ownership of illicit wealth. According to Marwa, the NDLEA has already achieved notable success in seizing narcotics and prosecuting traffickers. However, the agency's next critical step involves dismantling the economic foundations of the drug trade, transforming narcotics trafficking into a high-risk, low-profit activity. He emphasized that the sophistication of organised crime necessitates a similarly advanced response, urging a transition from crime detection to crime disruption, and from arresting offenders to dismantling entire criminal enterprises. Marwa pointed out that the drug trafficking ecosystem intersects with multiple forms of organised crime, including money laundering, corruption, cybercrime, human trafficking, and illicit arms trafficking. These connections underscore the importance of sustained cooperation both within the NDLEA and with partner institutions. He described the agency’s intelligence, investigation, prosecution, forensics, asset, and financial investigation directorates as interconnected components of an enforcement chain, calling for unity among these units to function effectively as a cohesive agency. Furthermore, Marwa advocated for enhanced collaboration with other law enforcement bodies, noting that no single organisation possesses the complete information, expertise, or resources needed to counter sophisticated criminal networks. He acknowledged the quality of participants in the training programme, which includes legal experts, financial analysts, and specialists in cybersecurity and cryptocurrency. Among the contributors are Justice Michael Hopmeier, a UK judge; Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, a former head of Nigeria’s anti-corruption commission; and Rotimi Oyedepo, the Director of Public Prosecutions. Additional participants include international advisers and local experts in financial crime and digital security. In separate developments, NDLEA operatives uncovered cocaine and heroin hidden in fireproof iron safe boxes during a raid in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The discovery was announced by Femi Babafemi, the agency’s media and advocacy director, who posted the revelation on social media. The raid took place in the Abuja area of Port Harcourt, where suspects were reportedly using the iron boxes to safeguard illicit drugs from theft and damage. Babafemi shared video footage illustrating how one of the safe boxes was found and opened during the operation. This incident highlights the evolving methods employed by drug traffickers to conceal their operations, underscoring the necessity for continued innovation in investigative techniques.