NDLEA's Marwa Addresses Drug Abuse and Mental Health Link

Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), stated that drug use and mental illness are interrelated issues. He made this remark on Tuesday in Abuja during the 5th edition of The Conversation Conference (TCC 5.0), organized by Intersect Consortium and led by UK-based Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Vincent Udenze.

Marwa emphasized that many drug abuse cases treated at NDLEA rehabilitation facilities stem from untreated mental health issues, such as depression and trauma. He noted that the conference, held shortly after World Mental Health Day, was an opportunity to transition from awareness to action.

Marwa discussed the NDLEA's pilot programs in three Ondo State communities, where families previously reliant on illicit cultivation were assisted in establishing lawful livelihoods. He expressed the agency's intention to expand this model nationwide and called for partnerships to support these initiatives.