By Chioma Obinna

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), on Wednesday raised alarm over what it described as the ‘rising wave of violent attacks’ on operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, warning that the anti-drug war in Nigeria is becoming increasingly dangerous for frontline officers.

The rights group condemned the recent mob attack on NDLEA personnel during an anti-narcotics operation in the Dawaki area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which left two officers critically injured.

HURIWA described the attack as a dangerous development that reflects the growing boldness of drug syndicates and criminal gangs operating across the country.

The group identified the injured officers as Ayegh Dooyun Zachariah and Shehu Jamil Ibrahim, who are currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja, after they came under attack during an enforcement operation targeting a notorious drug enclave.
In a press statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said attacks on NDLEA operatives should no longer be viewed as isolated criminal incidents but as direct threats to national security and public safety.

“The frightening escalation of violent attacks against NDLEA operatives by criminal drug syndicates and their collaborators is a dangerous signal that the anti-drug war is becoming increasingly deadly,” the group stated.

HURIWA warned that drug trafficking and substance abuse remain major drivers of insecurity, linking narcotics activities to terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and gang violence across the country.
The association, however, commended the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), for personally visiting the injured officers and assuring them of medical support and institutional backing.

“The visit by General Marwa to the wounded officers is highly symbolic and deeply commendable. It demonstrates responsible leadership and sends a morale-boosting signal to personnel risking their lives daily to save Nigeria from the catastrophic consequences of narcotics abuse and trafficking,” HURIWA said.

The group also praised the NDLEA management for providing medical assistance, commendation letters and welfare packages to the affected officers.

Calling for urgent intervention, HURIWA urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to establish a Special NDLEA Hazard Trust Fund to support officers injured or killed during anti-narcotics operations.
According to the group, NDLEA personnel operate under conditions comparable to combat environments and therefore deserve stronger welfare protection and compensation mechanisms.

HURIWA proposed that families of officers killed in active service should receive immediate compensation, while injured officers should have access to lifetime medical care, rehabilitation and insurance coverage funded through the proposed trust fund.

The group also called on the National Assembly to begin legislative processes compelling major corporate organisations to contribute four per cent of their annual income after tax into the proposed fund.
“Corporate Nigeria must recognise that the anti-drug war is also a battle for economic stability, workforce productivity, social peace and national development. The burden of sustaining this strategic war should not rest solely on the shoulders of government,” the statement added.

HURIWA further urged security agencies to intensify intelligence-driven operations against drug cartels and ensure the arrest and prosecution of those behind attacks on NDLEA operatives.

The rights group also appealed to Nigerians not to shield drug traffickers and criminal gangs within their communities, warning that failure to confront narcotics networks could worsen violence and insecurity nationwide.

“HURIWA reaffirmed its solidarity with officers and men of the NDLEA and urged the Federal Government to treat the anti-narcotics campaign as a critical national security priority deserving emergency institutional support and sustainable funding.”