The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) retired, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa has approved the immediate promotion of 3,506 officers and men to their next ranks.
The Director, Media and Advocacy of the Agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi, stated this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, in Abuja.
Babafemi described the immediate approval as erasing long years of stagnation in the agency, saying that the development followed a report by the harmonization committee set up by Marwa, soon after assuming the leadership of the agency in January, to address issues of low morale and stagnation in the careers of personnel.
He added that after due consideration of the committee’s recommendations, Marwa approved the immediate promotion of 2,910 officers between the ranks of Narcotic Assistant I and Superintendent of Narcotics.
The promotion of 596 others, between Chief Superintendent of Narcotics and Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, recommended to the board of the agency for elevation to their next ranks, received the board’s approval on Wednesday, 16th June 2021, Babafemi said.
According to him, a breakdown of the list of promoted officers and men showed that eight Assistant Commanders General of Narcotics (ACGN) were elevated to the rank of Deputy Commander General of Narcotics (DCGN).
“Also 20 Commanders of Narcotics (CN) to Assistant Commander General of Narcotics and 54 Deputy Commanders of Narcotics (DCNs) to Commander of Narcotics;
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” Others include 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; 41 Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics to Superintendent of Narcotics.
” 481 Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I to Superintendent of Narcotics, 157 Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I to Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics.
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“12 Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics II to Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I, 187 Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics II to Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics.
“119 Chief Narcotic Agent to Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I , 47 Chief Narcotic Agent to Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics II.
“1,006 Senior Narcotic Agent to Chief Narcotic Agent, 43 Narcotic Agent to Chief Narcotic Agent, 68 Narcotic Agents to Senior Narcotic Agents.
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” 41 Narcotic Assistants I to Senior Narcotic Assistants and 78 Narcotic Assistants to Narcotic Agents, ” he said.
Babafemi quoted the Chairman as charging the promoted officers and men to see their elevation as a call to give their best in the task of ridding the nation of illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
He said that his commitment to push the agency to the frontline of efficiency was becoming a reality due to the unquantifiable support of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“To whom much is given, much is expected. I will, therefore, urge all our officers and men, who have been promoted, to double their efforts as a mark of their commitment.
“We appreciate President 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. (NAN).
