Marwa: Why I recently had surgery

Buba Marwa, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says he recently underwent a surgical operation. 

Marwa said this on Thursday while addressing journalists after a meeting with some French stakeholders on efforts to fight drug trafficking.

The meeting held at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja.

When asked after the meeting if he was hospitalised in London for a surgery as rumoured, the NDLEA chairman said he underwent an operation for “long-standing lower back pain” arising from sporting activities during his years in the military.

“Aside from being an avid polo player, I was an active member of the Nigerian Army athletics team in the 1970s when I participated in the long jump and triple jump events and hockey as well,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman.

While dismissing other insinuations on his absence from office, Marwa said he has since returned to his desk to continue his mission of curbing drug trafficking in the country.

“As we speak, the assignment is on course and that’s the essence of the meeting with officials of Smiths Detection today,” he added.

Meanwhile, in his remarks at the meeting, Gabriel Pequignot, executive director for Africa, Smiths Detection, said the roundtable was to discuss areas to support the work of the NDLEA.

Smiths Detection is a global firm which provides solutions on detecting threats at airports, ports and borders.

“You are a great partner and we are here to discuss what we can do to support what you are doing,” Pequignot said.

In response, Marwa said support from Smiths Detection “is a very important component of our work”, adding that the NDLEA needs the equipment to “aid our task of drug supply reduction”.

“NDLEA will continue in its stride towards the attainment of its ultimate goal of making Nigeria drug-free and will continue to respond strongly and appropriately to all issues of drug abuse and trafficking,” he added.

“While pursuing our drug supply reduction goals, we have intensified the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across the states of the federation in pursuit of our drug demand reduction goal.”

Other representatives of Smiths Detection at the meeting included Loic Le Bret, Hani Jaffar, Max Zanoul, and Joseph Marc Khoury.