HURIWA decries rising attacks on NDLEA operatives, seeks special hazard fund

By Chioma Obinna

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) voiced alarm on Wednesday over a surge in violent attacks against National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officers, warning that the country’s anti‑drug campaign is becoming increasingly perilous for frontline personnel.

The association condemned a recent mob assault on NDLEA staff during an anti‑narcotics operation in the Dawaki area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which reportedly left two officers critically injured.

In a statement signed by National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA described the incident as a disturbing indication of the growing boldness of drug syndicates and criminal gangs operating across Nigeria.

The injured officers, identified as Ayegh Dooyun Zachariah and Shehu Jamil Ibrahim, are currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja, following the attack during an enforcement operation targeting a notorious drug enclave.

HURIWA said attacks on NDLEA operatives should no longer be treated as isolated criminal incidents but as direct threats to national security and public safety.

“The frightening escalation of violent attacks against NDLEA operatives by criminal drug syndicates and their collaborators is a dangerous signal that the anti‑drug war is becoming increasingly deadly,” the group stated.

The rights organisation warned that drug trafficking and substance abuse remain major drivers of insecurity, linking narcotics activities to terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and gang violence across Nigeria.

HURIWA commended NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Buba Marwa for personally visiting the injured officers and assuring them of medical support and institutional backing.

“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,” the statement added.

The group also praised the NDLEA management for providing medical assistance, commendation letters, and welfare packages to the affected officers.

Calling for urgent intervention, HURIWA urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to establish a Special NDLEA Hazard Trust Fund to support officers injured or killed during anti‑narcotics operations.

According to the group, NDLEA personnel operate under conditions comparable to combat environments and therefore deserve stronger welfare protection and compensation mechanisms.

HURIWA proposed that families of officers killed in active service receive immediate compensation, while injured officers should have access to lifetime medical care, rehabilitation, and insurance coverage funded through the proposed trust fund.

The association also called on the National Assembly to initiate legislation compelling major corporate organisations to contribute four per cent of their annual income after tax to the proposed fund.

“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 government,” the statement said.

HURIWA further urged security agencies to intensify intelligence‑driven operations against drug cartels and ensure the arrest and prosecution of those behind attacks on NDLEA operatives.

The group also appealed to Nigerians not to shield drug traffickers and criminal gangs within their communities, warning that failure to confront narcotics networks could worsen violence and insecurity nationwide.

It reaffirmed its solidarity with NDLEA officers, urging the Federal Government to treat the anti‑narcotics campaign as a critical national security priority deserving emergency institutional support and sustainable funding.

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