Odita Sunday 
HURIWA Hails Marwa-Led NDLEA Over N39bn Cocaine Bust, Says Agency Is Saving Nigerian Youths
By Odita Sunday
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. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and personnel of the agency following the dismantling of an alleged international cocaine trafficking cartel and the seizure of cocaine valued at about N39 billion.
The Association said the latest operation represented a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s fight against international drug trafficking and potentially saved thousands of young Nigerians from the devastating consequences of illicit drug use.
HURIWA’s commendation followed the reported arrest of the alleged Nigerian arrowhead of the cartel, Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as “KC Luxury,” who was reportedly intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while allegedly attempting to flee the country.
According to the Association, the seizure of 184.50 kilogrammes of cocaine should not be viewed merely as a law-enforcement statistic, given the potential impact the consignment could have had if it had reached its intended destinations.
HURIWA said every major drug consignment intercepted represents countless lives potentially spared from addiction, mental deterioration, criminality, violence and premature death.
The rights group particularly praised Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) for what it described as an aggressive and intelligence-driven campaign against drug trafficking syndicates operating across Nigeria and international borders.
It noted that the latest operation went beyond the seizure of narcotics, as NDLEA operatives reportedly traced the shipment, unravelled the network behind it, arrested key suspects and uncovered links extending from Nigeria to the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe and Asia.
HURIWA said the alleged use of a glamorous luxury-goods and social-media persona as a cover for drug trafficking also highlighted the increasingly sophisticated methods being adopted by transnational narcotics networks.
The Association therefore applauded the NDLEA for refusing to be deterred by wealth, luxury lifestyles, social-media influence or international connections in its efforts to bring alleged drug traffickers to justice.
It also commended the agency for intercepting the consignment through a courier logistics channel, noting that traffickers were increasingly seeking alternative routes as security agencies intensified surveillance at seaports and airports.
HURIWA said the operation demonstrated the importance of strengthening the NDLEA’s intelligence capabilities to identify and disrupt trafficking networks regardless of the channels they use.
The Association also recalled the NDLEA’s recent supervision of the destruction of cocaine and other illicit drugs worth more than N31 billion, describing it as another indication of the scale of the drug threat confronting the country and the magnitude of the agency’s intervention.
HURIWA warned that the ultimate victims of drug trafficking are frequently young people who are recruited as consumers, couriers, dealers and foot soldiers.
“Every kilogramme of cocaine intercepted is potentially a life saved. Every drug baron arrested is potentially a generation protected. Every trafficking network dismantled represents thousands of families that may never have to experience the pain of addiction,” the Association stated.
It urged Nigerians to view the NDLEA’s work not only as enforcement of drug laws but also as a critical national youth-protection and public-safety mission.
HURIWA further urged Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) and his team to sustain the offensive against international drug cartels, financial facilitators, clandestine laboratories and local distribution networks.
The Association called for stronger collaboration among the NDLEA, foreign law-enforcement agencies, financial intelligence institutions, customs authorities, the police and other relevant agencies to ensure that the financial infrastructure sustaining drug trafficking is dismantled alongside the physical networks.
It also urged the NDLEA to intensify public awareness campaigns, particularly among young Nigerians, on the dangers of drug abuse and the tactics increasingly used by criminal networks to recruit unsuspecting youths.
HURIWA said the latest cocaine interception, alongside the destruction of illicit drugs worth more than N31 billion, should serve as a warning to drug traffickers that Nigeria must not become a safe transit route for narcotics.
The Association commended the NDLEA and its personnel for their efforts, saying they were not merely seizing cocaine but working to protect Nigeria’s younger generation from the consequences of the illegal drug trade.
HURIWA also commended the agency’s international partners and the Special Investigation Team involved in the latest operation for what it described as professional intelligence gathering and cross-border cooperation.
The Association urged the Federal Government to sustain funding, intelligence support, modern surveillance technology and personnel welfare for the NDLEA, stressing that the fight against drug trafficking required sustained institutional capacity rather than sporadic enforcement.
HURIWA also called on Nigerians to support the agency by providing credible information that could assist security agencies in identifying drug trafficking networks operating within their communities.
The group further urged the courts to ensure that credible cases brought before them were expeditiously prosecuted in accordance with the law, stressing that arrests and seizures should translate into successful convictions and meaningful asset recovery where criminal liability is established.
In the statement signed by Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, HURIWA said the latest breakthrough under Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) reinforced the need for sustained national support for the NDLEA.
“HURIWA salutes the NDLEA. The war against drug trafficking is a war for the soul of Nigeria’s younger generation and the Agency must be supported to win it,” the Association said.
About the Author
