…says media-driven strategy marks shift from enforcement-only approach to prevention

By Chioma Obinna 

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), for what it described as bold, innovative and result-driven leadership following the commissioning of Clean Beat 91.5FM and recent high-impact anti-narcotics operations across the country.

In a press statement signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA described the launch of Clean Beat 91.5FM as a “historic and strategic milestone” in Nigeria’s ongoing war against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

The group said the initiative reflects a deliberate shift from an enforcement-only model to a broader prevention strategy anchored on public enlightenment, education, and behavioural reorientation.

According to HURIWA, the establishment of the radio station demonstrates “visionary leadership and deep strategic thinking” aimed at countering the growing influence of drug-glorifying narratives among young Nigerians, particularly across social media and popular culture.

The rights group noted that Nigeria’s drug challenge can no longer be addressed solely through arrests and prosecutions, stressing the need for sustained public awareness campaigns targeted at prevention and early intervention.

It further praised the NDLEA leadership for embracing media advocacy as a core tool in the fight against substance abuse, describing it as a timely and necessary response to the social drivers of addiction and related criminal behaviour.

HURIWA also applauded the agency’s recent operational breakthrough involving the discovery and dismantling of a large-scale illicit drug manufacturing factory, describing it as evidence of improved intelligence gathering, operational coordination and institutional effectiveness within the NDLEA.

The group said the development reinforces what it called the agency’s transformation into “one of the most proactive and result-oriented law enforcement institutions in the country.”

It recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier commended the NDLEA for its sustained anti-drug operations, noting that such recognition underscores the strategic importance of the agency’s ongoing campaign against narcotics networks threatening public health and national security.

HURIWA warned that drug abuse remains a major driver of violent crime, cultism, mental health disorders, school dropout rates, family breakdown and recruitment into extremist groups across the country.

It therefore called for stronger collaboration between government institutions, educational authorities, religious bodies, civil society organisations and community leaders to strengthen the NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse campaign.

The group also urged increased investment from government, the private sector and international development partners in rehabilitation services, intelligence support systems, modern enforcement technologies and nationwide awareness programmes.

HURIWA stressed that Nigeria’s fight against illicit drugs must be treated as a national emergency requiring sustained political commitment and coordinated multi-sectoral action.

It reaffirmed that prevention must remain central to national drug control efforts, warning that any decline in public awareness and institutional support could reverse gains already recorded by security and law enforcement agencies.