Nigeria: Stolpe praises new chairman of NDLEA, says “confidence in your ability"

Mohammed Buba Marwa, the new chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Nigeria, would excel in the position, said Oliver Stolpe, the country representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday, according to a report by The Cable.

The new chairman has cautioned illicit drug cultivators, exporters, traffickers, and customers against foul practices in the country.

Stolpes on the commissioning of the new chairman said that it would emerge as a positive sign and would renew the confidence of the world in Nigeria's drug control capability.

As per the statement signed by Jonah Achema, public affairs NDLEA, Stolpe said, "we have every confidence in your ability to deliver," in the courtesy visit NDLEA headquarters in the country's capital Abuja.

He further said that UNODC supports the National Drug Control Master Plan and the development of other drug control documents by NDLEA to wipe out illicit drugs affair in the country. As he said, "as a technical assistance provider, which liaises with donor countries and agencies, we look forward to working with you in a more different way that will bring results. We appreciate the fact that the agency is operating under a very difficult situation, but the future of international collaboration is bright. There is a whole lot of resources that will be invested in international cooperation and Nigeria is one of the beneficiaries."

Adding to it the new Chairman thanked UNODC for the support to NDLEA in the terms of human resources and the launch of the countrywide drug use survey.

"The agency has enjoyed your support in various areas such as capacity building and manpower development, provision of communication equipment, and the development of the National Drug Control Master Plan. The National Drug Use Survey in Nigeria which was launched by UNODC and other entities funded by the European Union is a foremost baseline for most of the conversations," Marwa added.