Marwa made the statement on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, in Abuja, while chairing the fifth edition of The Conversation Conference (TCC 5.0).

He cautioned that efforts focused solely on addressing the visible effects of drug abuse would fail to tackle the underlying problems contributing to substance use.

“If we only arrest the symptoms, we will keep missing the cause,” he warned.

Marwa, who also chaired the inaugural conference in 2022 and its third edition, described the gathering as one of Nigeria’s major mental health events. He said the conference, held days after World Mental Health Day, provided an opportunity to move beyond awareness campaigns towards practical action.

According to the NDLEA chief, many people receiving treatment for drug abuse at the agency’s rehabilitation centres struggle with unresolved emotional and psychological challenges.

“For too long, we treated mental health as a private burden, hidden behind shame and silence. In my work at the NDLEA, I see the cost of that silence daily.

“Behind many cases of drug abuse is untreated pain: depression nobody noticed, trauma nobody addressed, a young person who found a substance before finding help. Drug use and mental illness feed each other. If we only arrest the symptoms, we will keep missing the cause,” he said.

Marwa Advocates Community-Based Solutions

Addressing the conference theme of strategic investments, partnerships and community-led action, Marwa said mental wellbeing would remain difficult to achieve in communities where poverty and hopelessness push people towards harmful behaviour.

He cited the NDLEA’s intervention in three pilot communities in Ondo State, where residents who previously depended on illicit cultivation were supported in developing lawful and sustainable sources of income.

According to him, the initiative demonstrated how economic opportunities and community participation could help reduce vulnerability and strengthen social stability.

“Your theme speaks of strategic investments, partnerships and community-led action. At the NDLEA, these are not abstract ideas. They are things we have done. Mental wellbeing cannot thrive where hopelessness and poverty drive people into harm,” he said.

Marwa explained that the agency worked alongside residents to establish legitimate livelihoods, enabling families to earn a decent income without relying on illicit cultivation.

“When people have hope, income and a stake in their future, stress eases, families stabilise, and communities grow resilient. These were solutions designed with communities, not imposed on them,” he added.

He disclosed that the NDLEA planned to expand the initiative to other parts of the country and called on development partners and other stakeholders to support the effort.

The agency chief also highlighted the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, which educates young people in schools, tertiary institutions and communities about the dangers of substance abuse.

He further pointed to the NDLEA’s toll-free helpline, available around the clock, as a channel through which individuals and families can seek assistance without paying for the service.

Marwa said the helpline provides support to people facing difficult circumstances, including teenagers in distress and parents worried about their children.

Over 53,000 People Treated At NDLEA Rehabilitation Centres

Marwa revealed that more than 53,843 people had received care at the NDLEA’s 31 rehabilitation facilities across Nigeria over the past five years.

“Behind that number are fathers returned to their families and young people returned to school and work,” he said.

He stressed that mental healthcare should receive greater attention in public health budgets, arguing that investment in prevention, trained professionals and accessible treatment would yield benefits for productivity, public safety and family stability.

The NDLEA chairman called for increased recruitment of psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and community health workers. He also advocated integrating mental health services into primary healthcare facilities to ensure people could access support without travelling long distances.

He maintained that mental healthcare financing must be fair and accessible to all income groups.

“Care that only the well-off can afford is not a system, it is a privilege,” he said.

Marwa Urges Greater Protection For Women And Children

Commending the conference’s focus on women and children, Marwa said vulnerable groups, including survivors of violence, displaced mothers, girls without adequate support, persons living with disabilities and families affected by conflict, were often overlooked.

He noted that the NDLEA’s experience showed that recovery was more sustainable when support extended beyond individuals to include their mothers, children and other household members.

Marwa also emphasised that tackling drug abuse and mental health challenges required cooperation among multiple sectors, including health, education, security, justice and social welfare.

He thanked Vice President Kashim Shettima for supporting the conference. Shettima was represented at the event by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, who attended as the Special Guest of Honour.

According to Marwa, the vice president’s support demonstrated that mental health was increasingly being recognised as a national priority.

He urged participants to conclude the conference with concrete commitments to fund effective interventions, expand successful community-based programmes, prioritise women, children and other vulnerable groups, and ensure accountability for results.

“Let us build a Nigeria where seeking help is an act of courage, where recovery is possible, and where no one suffers alone,” he said.