By Oluwakemi Kindness
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has inducted thousands of AK-47 rifles and advanced pistols into its operations for the first time since its establishment 36 years ago, marking a major shift in its fight against drug trafficking.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), announced the development on Monday while inaugurating a specialised Train-the-Trainer Course on Weapon Handling at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State.
Marwa, represented by Col. Murtala Aminu, his Chief of Staff, said the move was necessitated by the growing sophistication and violence of drug trafficking networks, stressing that officers must be adequately equipped to tackle increasingly dangerous criminal organisations.
“Drug trafficking organisations are no longer mere commercial criminal enterprises; they are armed, organised and ruthless,” he said.
He noted that the agency could no longer deploy personnel on high-risk operations without the training and equipment required to protect both officers and the public.
Marwa described the induction of tactical firearms as a historic milestone for the NDLEA and credited President Bola Tinubu with strengthening the agency’s operational capacity.
He also acknowledged the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for providing the initial consignment of firearms and ammunition that made the training programme possible.
According to him, the weapons procurement process, initiated in 2023 through the China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), is in its final stage, with thousands of additional rifles, pistols and ammunition expected to arrive soon.
The NDLEA boss disclosed that the agency has approved a comprehensive accountability and distribution framework for the weapons and is working with the Nigerian Air Force to transport them to commands across the country.
He said the Jos training would produce the agency’s first cadre of master weapons instructors, who will return to their respective commands to conduct a mandatory one-month firearms training programme for all operational personnel before the weapons are deployed.
Marwa urged participants to maintain the highest standards of discipline, safety and professionalism in handling firearms.
“Every firearm must be treated with the seriousness it demands. The power that a firearm confers must always be tempered by restraint, judgement and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law,” he said.
He added that the NDLEA has evolved into a more professional and formidable agency through record drug seizures and the dismantling of major trafficking networks, noting that the introduction of tactical firearms represents a new phase in protecting officers while strengthening Nigeria’s war against illicit drugs.
“The induction of more arms into our operational inventory is the next chapter in that story, and it is a chapter that must be written with honour,” Marwa said.
