By Chioma Iruke
Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday announced the immediate promotion of 3,506 officers and men to their next ranks.
In a statement signed by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the Chairman of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rrtd) by approving the promotion, broke the jinx of long years of stagnation in the agency.
This was even as Gen. Marwa said his commitment to push the agency to the frontline in efficiency is becoming a reality due to the unquantifiable support of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the statement, the promotion followed a report by the harmonisation committee set up by Gen. Marwa “soon after assuming leadership of the agency in January to address the issues of low morale and stagnation in the career path of personnel.”
“After due consideration of the recommendations by the committee, the NDLEA Chief Executive approved the immediate promotion of 2,910 officers between the rank of Narcotic Assistant I and Superintendent of Narcotics while 596 others between Chief Superintendent of Narcotics and Assistant Commander General of Narcotics were recommended to the Board of the Agency for elevation to their next ranks, a recommendation that was approved by the Board on Wednesday 16th June, 2021.
“A breakdown of the list of promoted officers and men shows eight Assistant Commanders General of Narcotics (ACGN) were elevated to the rank of Deputy Commander General of Narcotics (DCGN); 20 Commanders of Narcotics (CN) to Assistant Commander General of Narcotics; 54 Deputy Commanders of Narcotics to Commander of Narcotics; 14 Assistant Commanders of Narcotics to Commander of Narcotics; 150 Assistant Commanders of Narcotics to Commander of Narcotics; and 350 Chief Superintendents of Narcotics to Assistant Commander of Narcotics.
“A total of 630 Superintendents of Narcotics were also moved to the next rank as Chief Superintendent of Narcotics; Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics to Superintendent of Narcotics- 41; Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I to Superintendent of Narcotics -481; Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I to Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics -157; Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics II to Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I -12; Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics II to Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics -187; Chief Narcotic Agent to Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I -119; Chief Narcotic Agent to Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics II -47; Senior Narcotic Agent to Chief Narcotic Agent – 1,006; Narcotic Agent to Chief Narcotic Agent – 4; Narcotic Agent to Senior Narcotic Agent -68; Narcotic Assistant I to Senior Narcotic Assistant -1 and Narcotic Assistant I to Narcotic Agent -78,” part of the statement read.
The NDLEA Chairman thus charged the promoted officers and men to see their elevation as a call to give their best in the task to rid the nation of illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
“To whom much is given, much is expected. I will therefore urge all of our officers and men who have been promoted to double their efforts as a mark of their commitment and appreciation to the President and Commander –in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, whose political willpower and mandate to bring an end to the scourge of illicit drug abuse and trafficking in the country we are implementing in the agency,” he added.
