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By Steve Agbota, Lagos
The Chairman of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Buba Marwa (retd), said on Monday that the agency seized more than 5.4 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs from drug traffickers in the country.
Marwa, who was represented by the Director Seaports Operation of NDLEA, Omolade Faboyede, disclosed this at the annual conference and awards of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) with the theme, “Maximising Nigeria’s Blue Economy Through Automation,” said that the agency was able to convict about 2,904 convictions and arrested of over 18,940 drug traffickers.
He said the maritime sector is key towards the economic development of the nation and for Nigeria to achieve the much-desired Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through a 24-hour clearance of goods at the ports, the maritime activities must be automated.
His paper titled “Evolving A Drug-Free Society For National Development” noted that the maritime sector should therefore be driven by efficiency and effectiveness in her operations.
He said the problem of substance abuse in Nigeria if not adequately addressed might prove to be a huge hindrance to this anticipated drive for an improved economy .
“A drug-free workforce is, therefore, key to this drive. In consideration of the enormous security and safety hazards orchestrated by drug trafficking and abuse, the NDLEA in partnership with the United Nations Office On Drug Control (UNODC) with funding from the European Union recently launched a five-year National Drug Control Master plan ( 2021-2025),” he said.
According to him, the masterplan, which implementation has started is aimed among others, to ensure the safety and health of everyone living in Nigeria through drug control, adding that the National Drug Control Masterplan anchors on four strategic pillars of drug supply reduction, drug demand reduction, access to controlled medicines for medical purposes and governance.
He said that the maritime sector by the nature of its operations features prominently in the two major strategic pillars of drug supply and reduction, hence the importance of the sector in the agency’s drug control efforts.
Conversely, he hinted that it is unfortunate to note that some major drug shipments are usually done through the sea, adding that the personnel working in that sector equally need to be shielded from drug use and dependency for better productivity.
“There is therefore a need for the NDLEA and the maritime sector to employ a synergistic approach to drug control. It is, therefore, necessary to develop automated systems in the maritime environment that will establish incidences of drug use and aiding of drug importation or exportation,” he advised.
For instance, he said comprehensive drug tests should be carried out on every personnel boarding the nation’s ship, saying that automated rummaging of the ship is equally critical in ridding the ship compartments of every trace of drug.
Meanwhile, he bemoaned the high use of illicit drugs, which majorly affected the mental health of the users and resulted in crimes in the country, adding that some of the drugs abused include; heroin, tramadol, codeine, morphine, amphetamine, and cannabis.
Cannabis was the most widely used drug.
“This is why we have continued to kick against legalising cannabis in Nigeria as that may have a multiplier effect on crime and criminalities. For us in NDLEA, we are addressing issues of drug dependence that are fuelled by ignorance through our Drug Demand Reduction efforts. This two-prong action of drug Demand and Supply Reduction is simultaneously taking place in our Agency across our formations in all states in the country.
“In Drug demand Reduction, we enlighten, sensitize and educate drug users and non-drug users alike on the dangers of drug abuse. We, counsel, treat, rehabilitate and reintegrate drug-dependent persons into society. This means that we see this class of people as those who need help and some form of care and treatment,” he said.
