Marwa Seeks Traditional Rulers' Support to Protect Girl-Child Against Drug Abuse

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has called for stronger protection of the girl-child and greater collaboration with traditional institutions to tackle the vulnerabilities that expose women and young people to drug abuse and exploitation.

Marwa made the appeal on Saturday in Kaduna during the public presentation of In The Shadow of the Neem Tree, a book written by his daughter, Barrister Mariam Marwa-Abdu.

He said protecting girls was critical to safeguarding families and the nation, stressing that government and civil society organisations could not shoulder the responsibility alone.

"As the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, I see firsthand every day how systemic vulnerabilities like poverty, abuse and lack of education drive women and youth toward drug abuse and exploitation," he said.

"We cannot leave this battle to the government or non-governmental organisations alone. We need the partnership of our revered traditional institutions, led by custodians of culture like the Emir of Zazzau, to shift the cultural paradigm. We must protect our daughters, educate them and give them the wings to fly."

Marwa praised the author for using literature to advocate for social change and urged stakeholders to ensure the book's message reached every corner of society.

Reflecting on the occasion, he described it as a proud moment for his family, noting that Mariam had become the fourth of his children to publish a book.

He said the novel confronts the realities of child marriage and its far-reaching consequences on girls' education, health and future.

According to him, the book shines a necessary spotlight on harmful traditional practices, using storytelling and legal insight to encourage conversations that could drive reform.

Speaking at the event, Mariam Marwa-Abdu, founder of the Women and Children's Rights and Empowerment Foundation, said the book was more than fiction, describing it as a reflection of her lifelong advocacy for women and children's rights.

She said through the foundation, established in 2011, she had spent more than a decade translating the themes explored in the book into practical interventions.

Also speaking, the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, represented by the District Head of Basawa, Architect Haruna Abubakar Bamalli, expressed hope that the event would inspire both individual and collective development.