MURIC: Strengthening NDLEA key to tackling insecurity in Nigeria

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a Muslim rights advocacy group, has turned its attention to the activities of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Executive Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, described the NDLEA as indispensable in Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.

He therefore appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that the NDLEA has access to cutting-edge technology and enjoys the full support of both state and non-state actors.

“We at the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), concerned about the prolonged insecurity in the country and bewildered by the barbaric activities of terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, have resolved to take a closer look at the relationship between violent crime, drug abuse and the persistent cycle of insecurity in Nigeria.

“According to the latest statistics, insecurity has claimed more than 628,000 lives, while over 2.2 million people have been abducted since 2023 alone. We can only imagine what the figures would be if they covered the period from around 2012, when Boko Haram began its operations.

“Apart from the colossal loss of lives and property, insecurity has become a major obstacle to Nigeria’s economic and educational development, as both local and foreign investors have stayed away from affected areas.

“At the same time, sporadic attacks on schools have increased, swelling the number of out-of-school children, which UNICEF estimates now stands at 18.3 million.

“Yet, at the heart of Nigeria’s security crisis lies the phenomenon of drug abuse. Many believe that if Nigeria wins the war against illicit drugs, insecurity could decline by more than 60%.

“There is ample empirical evidence that terrorists and bandits abuse drugs. That is why they often behave irrationally. Dangerous substances have been recovered from their camps. Boko Haram camps cleared by troops are frequently littered with psychotropic drugs. It is also on record that 10 suppliers of hard drugs were intercepted by the NDLEA in December 2021.

“Therefore, Nigeria’s insecurity is, to a large extent, drug-induced. Arrested insurgents and bandits often exhibit withdrawal symptoms after spending several days in the custody of security agencies. Many have confessed during interrogation to the regular use of illicit drugs. Some have also been arrested in possession of drugs, including pharmaceutical opioids. These discoveries underscore the role drug abuse plays in fuelling terrorism and banditry.”

Akintola said the close nexus between drugs and violent crime makes it imperative to acknowledge the performance of the NDLEA under its current leadership and reinforces the need for the Federal Government to provide the agency with unconditional support.

He said: “The Federal Government must pay greater attention to Nigeria’s war against illicit drugs, particularly considering the remarkable progress recorded over the past six years under Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd). The NDLEA has become an indispensable partner in the fight against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.

“We also draw the Federal Government’s attention to the devastation global drug cartels have caused in countries such as Mexico, where about 400,000 people had died by 2021; Colombia, where the death toll had reached 9,263,826 by 2022; and Ecuador, where at least one person is murdered every hour amid extreme violence and state destabilisation. This demonstrates the direct impact of the drug trade on governance.

“Fortunately, the new sheriff in town has proved beyond any scintilla of doubt that he is equal to the task. Under Marwa’s leadership, the rate at which drug barons are apprehended and huge quantities of narcotics seized is unprecedented. Even more remarkable is that these arrests and seizures are spread across all the country’s geopolitical zones.

“For example, in June 2026, the NDLEA busted a Mexican drug cartel and arrested several Mexicans and their Nigerian collaborators at a drug factory. Similar breakthroughs have become routine over the past four years, with hardly a week passing without a significant success.

“We affirm that illicit drugs are the mother of crime in general, and the sooner we eliminate them from our society, the easier it will be to defeat violent groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and ISIS.

“At this stage, what the NDLEA needs most is access to cutting-edge technology to outsmart drug barons, traffickers and their collaborators.

“MURIC urges state governments to key into the NDLEA’s vision of freeing Nigerian youths from drug addiction and, by extension, reducing crime. It is penny wise and pound foolish to ignore the fire while chasing the smoke. The casus belli of Nigeria’s insecurity lie in hard drugs, and the NDLEA is sine qua non in the fight against insecurity. State governments should therefore stop treating drug-related issues with kid gloves.”

The organisation also urged Nigerians to support the NDLEA by providing timely and actionable intelligence.

“Citizens at the grassroots must take ownership of this fight because it is our war. Our children, wives, husbands and relatives are all affected. We must stop the fire on the roof before it spreads further.

“We appeal to all security agencies to strengthen collaboration with the NDLEA. Inter-agency cooperation is essential to achieving meaningful success in the war against illicit drugs. There can be no enduring victory without intelligence sharing.

“The drug menace cuts across all faiths and ethnic groups. As an advocacy organisation committed to the protection of fundamental human rights, good governance, anti-corruption, societal welfare and moral awakening, MURIC has a duty to awaken the conscience of both society and its leaders.

“This is not the first time we have spoken on the issue. In October 2021, we called on Nigerians to support the NDLEA’s campaign against illicit drugs, and in November 2025, we commended Brig. Gen. Marwa’s sterling leadership of the agency.”

Akintola recalled MURIC’s longstanding position that Nigeria’s insecurity is, to a large extent, drug-induced and reiterated the group’s appeal to the Federal Government to provide the NDLEA with cutting-edge technology and the full support of both state and non-state actors in its campaign against drug cartels.

“Victory over insurgents and terrorists may remain elusive until the drug threat is drastically reduced. We must not allow Nigeria to descend into the situation witnessed in countries such as Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador,” he said.