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NDLEA seized N60b drugs in two months, says Marwa
By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it confiscated illicit drugs valued at N60 billion across the 36 states of the federation in the last two months.
Its Chairman, Brig.-Gen Buba Marwa (retd.), said this on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at a colloquium, tagged: Walk Away From Drugs, organised by the state Ministry of Justice.
Marwa, who bemoaned the rising menace of drug abuse and trafficking in the country, said most crimes, such as armed robbery, kidnapping and banditry, were caused by the menace.
“The menace of drug use and drug abuse is a universal and more worrisome in the country. In Nigeria today, there is no challenge that is more worrisome as drug abuse.
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“It is worrisome, that within the last two months, more than N60 billion worth of illicit drugs have been confiscated and the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted.
“If access to drugs is prevented, crimes can be reduced by 50 per cent in the country,” he said.
The NDLEA boss called for collaboration and campaigns against illicit drugs, saying parents should include drug certificate among the criteria for giving their children out in marriage.
“This will be the beginning of reducing drug usage and prevailing economic effects on the nation,” Marwa said.
Governor Kayode Fayemi reiterated the commitment of his administration at reducing drug abuse in the state.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, urged participants to take the deliberations serious and develop implementable plans to rid the society of the menace.
The event was attended by Deputy Speaker Hakeem Jamiu, first-class monarchs, members of the State Executive Council (Exco), local government chairmen, activists, women and youth groups.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the colloquium, the NDLEA and the state government agreed on “the development of intelligence sharing network mechanism at the grassroots level with a view to dismantling the cultivation, manufacturing and use of illicit drugs and arrest the drug barons and their cohorts”.
It added: “The adoption of a public health approach in collaboration with relevant authorities, such as the public service, authorities of tertiary institutions and political heads for Confidential Drug Use Integrity Test to be carried out on the newly recruited civil servants, including directors and permanent secretaries, newly admitted students and individuals seeking for political offices at all levels.”
