The National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) Nigeria, Princess Edna Azura, has called for a strengthened and sustainable partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to combat the rising menace of drug abuse in the country. She said such collaboration would further reinforce ongoing efforts against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Princess Azura made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the NDLEA national headquarters in Abuja, where she led other executives of the Council, emphasising the need for deeper collaboration between the NCWS and the Agency in areas such as joint sensitisation programmes in schools, markets, and communities, as well as the training of women leaders in drug-use prevention, treatment, and care.
She added that the NCWS is ready to explore strategic areas of cooperation with the NDLEA, including training national and state officers of the Council as community anti-drug ambassadors; joint advocacy campaigns targeting mothers and caregivers; and enhancing rehabilitation and reintegration support for women and youths affected by substance abuse.
Speaking on ongoing efforts by the NCWS, Princess Azura said:
“At NCWS, we have been actively mobilising women, mothers, teachers, and community groups to participate in the fight against substance abuse. Our school outreach programmes, advocacy forums, and community sensitisation campaigns across the states have shown that when women are fully engaged, prevention becomes more effective.”
She also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reappointing the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd.), for a second term.
Describing the reappointment as a “national endorsement” of his accomplishments, she said: “This renewal reflects your monumental contributions to national security, public health, and the protection of women and youths. We are confident that your continued leadership will further strengthen the nation’s fight against drug trafficking.”
Princess Azura praised Marwa’s leadership as “transformative,” noting that the NDLEA under his watch has recorded historic achievements—from dismantling major drug trafficking networks to intercepting record quantities of illicit substances, improving intelligence-driven operations, expanding community-based preventive education, and strengthening rehabilitation pathways for victims of drug abuse.
In his response, Marwa assured the NCWS leadership of the Agency’s commitment to partnership and announced plans to organise Drug Use Prevention, Treatment, and Care (DPTC) training for them in 2026.
Marwa stressed that government alone cannot win the fight against drug abuse, emphasising that the NCWS—representing mothers across the country is a vital partner in the national campaign.
He urged them to support and promote the ongoing campaign for drug integrity tests for intending couples, saying this would help discourage substance abuse and enable early detection and treatment, especially among young people.
