The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the recent allegations credited to Kwara South Senator, Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, branding the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as the most corrupt and compromised government agency in Nigeria.
The senator had described the NDLEA as the “most corrupt and compromised, hence, I support the creation of the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation” while contributing to the debate on a ‘Bill for an Act to establish National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation’.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, carpeted the senator and described the claims as baseless and politically motivated.
Onwubiko described the senator’s accusations as a figment of his imagination, noting that such a presentation does not befit a distinguished representative of the people.
Onwubiko expressed dismay at the senator’s comments, questioning how a legislator could stand on the floor of the National Assembly and make sweeping allegations without presenting concrete evidence to support his claims.
According to a statement issued at the press conference, HURIWA said Ashiru’s remarks lack any form of credibility as they are not backed by specifics, evidence, or facts but rather appear to be driven by sentiments and possible ulterior motives.
“We find it alarming that a lawmaker would make such a ‘reckless’ and generalised allegation against one of Nigeria’s most hardworking agencies. This is simply based on nothing but sentiment and perhaps hatred for certain individuals within the NDLEA,” Onwubiko stated.
He further stressed that this trend of politically motivated smear campaigns against government institutions is becoming rampant and must be checked.
The advocacy group further raised concerns about the timing of the allegations, suspecting that there is a larger conspiracy behind Senator Ashiru’s outburst.
Comrade Onwubiko pointed out that NDLEA’s recent successes have rattled several powerful individuals who may now resort to political manoeuvres to destabilise the agency’s operations.
He stated that the genesis of the bill to establish a National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, which Senator Ashiru supports, appears to be part of a coordinated effort to undermine NDLEA’s accomplishments and weaken the current counter-narcotics strategy.
“We at HURIWA suspect that the introduction of this bill is a game plan orchestrated by certain forces who are unhappy with the current NDLEA leadership’s determination to intensify the drug war.
“Under General Marwa’s leadership, no one has been above the law—not even high-ranking politicians or politically exposed persons. This is why we believe there may be political forces at play here,” Onwubiko argued.
HURIWA strongly opposed the establishment of a new drug-related agency, arguing that it would be a needless duplication of functions.
“The NDLEA already has departments dedicated to drug awareness and rehabilitation, which have performed exceptionally well.
“The proposal to create another agency with similar functions would only serve to weaken the NDLEA’s capacity and could be seen as a deliberate attempt to destabilise its operations.
“This bill is not just redundant; it is a direct attack on the NDLEA. The NDLEA’s public awareness programs and rehabilitation efforts are already effective, so there is no need for another agency.
“The only thing this bill will achieve is to divide resources and energy, ultimately weakening the fight against drug barons,” Onwubiko explained.
In light of these developments, HURIWA called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the motivations behind the proposed bill and those sponsoring it.
“The organisation insisted that the bill’s proponents must be scrutinised to determine whether there are links to individuals or groups seeking to undermine the NDLEA’s fight against narcotics.
“A few months ago, HURIWA raised concerns about a coordinated campaign to discredit the NDLEA, and now we are seeing this bill emerge.
“The DSS must investigate the true intent behind this bill and uncover whether there is a conspiracy to sabotage the counter-narcotics war.
“The NDLEA has been praised by international bodies, including the U.S., U.K., and the EU, for its efforts, and we cannot allow a few disgruntled individuals to derail this progress.” HURIWA recounted.
HURIWA, also called on the National Assembly to act with greater responsibility and ensure that bills brought before it serve the nation’s best interests, stressing that Nigeria cannot afford to play politics with critical issues like drug enforcement, and the NDLEA’s remarkable progress should be supported, not sabotaged.
“HURIWA remains resolute in its defence of the NDLEA and we urge the government to dismiss Senator Ashiru’s baseless accusations, which are devoid of facts and evidence.
“We also warn that passing such a bill would be a monumental scandal, one that would harm Nigeria’s efforts to combat drug trafficking and further undermine public trust in the nation’s institutions,” Onwubiko concluded.