Politics
…demands special national hazard trust fund for anti-narcotics officers
THE Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly condemned what it described as the frightening escalation of violent attacks against operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by criminal drug syndicates and their collaborators across the country.
HURIWA said the recent brutal mob attack on NDLEA personnel during an anti-narcotics raid in the Dawaki area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is a disturbing reminder that officers battling drug cartels are increasingly risking their lives daily in defence of Nigeria’s national security and social stability.
The Rights group expressed outrage that officers of the NDLEA, who are constitutionally empowered to protect communities from the destructive influence of illicit drugs and organised narcotics trafficking, are now becoming targets of violent reprisals from criminal elements determined to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state.
HURIWA specifically referenced the attack which left two NDLEA officers, Ayegh Dooyun Zachariah and Shehu Jamil Ibrahim, critically injured and currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital Abuja after they came under mob assault during an enforcement operation against a notorious drug enclave in Dawaki.
The prominent Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) stated that the attack should not merely be viewed as an isolated criminal incident, but as a direct assault on Nigeria’s sovereignty, internal security architecture and collective national wellbeing.
The group however commended the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), for displaying exemplary leadership, compassion and patriotism by personally visiting the wounded officers and assuring them of institutional support, justice and comprehensive medical care.
HURIWA noted that Marwa’s gesture has sent a powerful message to officers on the frontlines that their sacrifices are recognised and valued by the leadership of the agency.
“The visit by General Marwa to the wounded officers is highly symbolic and deeply commendable. It demonstrates responsible leadership and sends a morale-boosting signal to personnel risking their lives daily to save Nigeria from the catastrophic consequences of narcotics abuse and trafficking,” HURIWA stated.
The Rights group further applauded the NDLEA management for promptly providing medical support, commendation letters and welfare packages to the injured operatives, describing such intervention as necessary in sustaining morale within the agency.
HURIWA warned that Nigeria is sitting on a dangerous social time-bomb if authorities fail to aggressively confront the growing influence of narcotics networks and the culture of violent resistance against law enforcement officers.
According to the Rights group, drug trafficking and widespread substance abuse are directly linked to the rise in terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cult violence, armed robbery, gang wars and other organised crimes threatening national stability.
The frontline Human Rights group stressed that countries which failed to decisively confront drug cartels eventually witnessed the erosion of state authority, infiltration of public institutions by criminal syndicates and the normalisation of violence within society.
HURIWA therefore called on His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to urgently establish a SPECIAL NDLEA HAZARD TRUST FUND dedicated solely to the welfare, rehabilitation, treatment and compensation of officers injured or killed while carrying out anti-narcotics operations and for the promotion of the general wellbeing and boosted welfare of the staff in general.
HURIWA argued that NDLEA personnel operate under extremely dangerous conditions comparable to combat environments and therefore deserve a structured national protection mechanism backed by law.
HURIWA proposed that families of officers killed in active service should receive immediate and substantial compensation from the proposed Trust Fund, while wounded officers should enjoy lifetime access to quality medical treatment, rehabilitation support and insurance protection funded through the mechanism.
The Rights group also urged the National Assembly to immediately commence legislative processes compelling major corporate entities operating in Nigeria to contribute four percent of their annual income after tax into the proposed NDLEA Hazard Trust Fund.
According to HURIWA, the private sector cannot continue to benefit from economic activities within society while remaining indifferent to the security threats posed by narcotics trafficking and drug-induced criminality.
“Corporate Nigeria must recognise that the anti-drug war is also a battle for economic stability, workforce productivity, social peace and national development. The burden of sustaining this strategic war should not rest solely on the shoulders of the government,” the group declared.
HURIWA maintained that without a strong and well-funded NDLEA, Nigeria risks descending into deeper instability because drug addiction and trafficking create fertile grounds for violent gangs, criminal militias, cult networks and transnational organised crime syndicates.
The Civil rights association further called on security agencies to intensify intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling drug cartels and arresting all individuals responsible for attacks on NDLEA personnel anywhere in the country.
The group also urged Nigerians to stop shielding drug traffickers and criminal gangs within communities, warning that protecting narcotics networks today would ultimately expose innocent citizens to widespread violence, addiction and insecurity tomorrow.
HURIWA reaffirmed its solidarity with officers and men of the NDLEA and urged the Federal Government to treat the anti-narcotics campaign as a critical national security priority deserving emergency institutional support and sustainable funding.
A.I
May 27, 2026
Tags: Ayegh Dooyun Zachariah Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) HURIWA Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) NDLEA Shehu Jamil Ibrahim