From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday destroyed over four tons of illicit drugs in Jalingo and other substances in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The Executive Chairman of the agency, Brig Gen. Buba Marwa, who led the destruction of the illicit substances, called on the public to collaborate with the agency to reduce the menace of drug abuse to its barest minimum.
Marwa, who was represented by Alhaji Idris Bello, Zonal Commander Zone B Yola, said that the exercise was one of the hallmark of the global drug control mechanism.
The chairman, who said that seized drugs must be promptly destroyed, assured that the Taraba Command of the NDLEA would publicly set ablaze a total of 4,050.367 kilograms of drugs.
Marwa listed the drugs to be destroyed as 3,158.701 kilograms of cannabis sativa and 900.667 kilograms of psychotropic substances such as Tramadol, Pentazocine injection, Codeine, Rophynol Diazepam and other non conventional drugs with the newly discovered “Akuskura”.
While recalling that the United Nations Office on Drugs Control (Nations UNODC) in its 2018 survey stated that Nigeria had 14.3 million illicit drug users, Marwa disclosed that Taraba state at the time had 213,000 drug users representing 13 per cent of its population.
According to him, one out of four drug users in the state is female and identified Taraba’s geographical location which shared common boundary with the Republic of Cameroon as well as activities of hostile elements within the state as responsible for its vulnerability to the drug challenge among the growing Youth population.
In his remark Gov. Ishaku expressed concern over the extent of drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the state.
He said that the destruction of the illicit drugs was aimed at stopping such drugs from being recycled in the society in the interest of public health.
Ishaku, who was represented by Mr Anthony Jellason, Secretary to the State Government said that the administration would soon provide a befitting office accomodations for the command.
He said that the administration would continue to support the command to ensure that consumption of illicit drugs was controlled to the later.
Our correspondent recall that the first destruction of illicit drugs in the state was carried out in 2019, making today the second exercise of such.