By Nkechi Eze
A United States–based security research and strategy organisation has named the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), as its Security Leader of the Year 2025, citing his outstanding operational success, integrity, institutional reforms and sustained public confidence in Nigeria’s anti-narcotics campaign.
The recognition was conferred by Ogun Security Research and Strategic Consulting LLC (OSRS), a Texas-based security research organisation, following what it described as an independent, artificial intelligence–assisted and evidence-based assessment of Nigeria’s security landscape in 2025. The development was disclosed in an official statement signed by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi.
In a statement published on its website on Thursday, 25 December 2025, OSRS noted that Nigeria’s security challenges in 2025 required more than brute force, stressing that effective leadership was needed to deliver tangible results while earning public trust, protecting rights and strengthening institutions. The organisation observed that in a year marked by terrorism, drug trafficking, organised crime and growing public scepticism toward state power, one security leader stood out clearly.
According to OSRS, Brigadier General Marwa emerged as the clear choice for the award, with his leadership offering important insights into the future of security governance in Nigeria. The organisation explained that its selection process was guided by a central question: in a difficult year for national security, who demonstrated leadership that balanced effectiveness with responsibility?
Rather than focusing solely on arrest figures or seizures, OSRS said it evaluated leadership performance using four key pillars: operational effectiveness and measurable national impact; respect for human rights and the rule of law; employee welfare, morale and internal discipline; and public perception, trust and institutional credibility. Artificial intelligence was deployed to analyse open-source reports, performance data and verified records, while human experts reviewed and validated every output to minimise bias and preserve professional judgment. Across all indicators assessed, OSRS said one leader consistently ranked highest.
The organisation noted that under Marwa’s leadership, the NDLEA recorded historic outcomes in 2025, dismantling international drug trafficking networks, intercepting record quantities of illicit substances and disrupting criminal supply chains that fund terrorism, banditry and organised violence. It stressed that these achievements were the result of intelligence-driven operations executed through cooperation with international partners and reinforced by strong internal controls.
OSRS emphasised that the impact of the NDLEA under Marwa extended beyond conventional law enforcement, as its operations targeted the financial and logistical backbone of criminal networks, thereby delivering broader national security gains.
Beyond operational results, the organisation highlighted institutional reform and discipline as defining features of Marwa’s leadership. It noted that the NDLEA avoided major corruption scandals in a sector often associated with such challenges, while officers were promoted and rewarded based on performance, with clearer career pathways established. The introduction of body-worn cameras and accountability mechanisms was said to have strengthened transparency, while employee welfare was deliberately prioritised as a security imperative rather than an administrative concern. According to OSRS, this approach improved morale, professionalism and operational consistency across the agency.
On public trust and ethical leadership, the organisation, led by global security expert Dr Oludare Ogunlana, stated that in 2025 the NDLEA emerged as one of the few security institutions widely perceived as functional, credible and disciplined. It noted that Marwa’s leadership style emphasised professionalism over intimidation and accountability over impunity, with the agency’s actions aligning with legal standards and avoiding human rights controversies that have undermined confidence in other institutions. OSRS stressed that public trust was earned through consistency of conduct rather than rhetoric.
Reflecting on the broader implications of Marwa’s selection, the organisation said the decision signalled a shift in how security leadership is evaluated in Nigeria. It noted that effective security now depends on institutional integrity as much as force, that staff welfare and discipline directly influence national outcomes, and that intelligence-led operations consistently outperform reactive enforcement. According to OSRS, Marwa’s leadership offers a practical model for reform across Nigeria’s wider security architecture.
“Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa’s selection as the OSRS Security Leader of the Year 2025 is not about personality. It is about proof,” the statement concluded. “In a year of pressure and uncertainty, his leadership showed that results, reform and trust can coexist. Recognition is not the end of service; it is a reminder of responsibility.”
