From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa retd has called on religious bodies to harp more on the dangers of hard drug in their sermons so as to reduce the menace of hard drug in the country.
Noting that the society has been greatly infested with the use of illicit drugs, Marwa said the continued preaching of religious leaders on the dangers of use of hard drug will drastically reduce its use especially among y youths.
Marwa attributed drug abuse to the major cause of Insecurity in Nigeria, describing it as a National tragedy and that has become the nation’s number one problem.
Marwa made the disclosure on Friday at a stakeholders meeting with critical stakeholders held in Lokoja the Kogi State capital
The Chairman pointed out that bandits, kidnappers and several many other persons engaged in issues of insecurity in the country are usually on drugs, saying it has become a problem every Nigerian must all join hands together to tackle.
He said the time for all hands to be on deck and work collectively in stemming the negative trend caused by drug abuse in the country is now, as the NDLEA is resolved to reduce to its barest minimum incidences of drug abuse.
He said the NDLEA is working majorly to fight against accessibility to drugs by seizing and destroying the intake of cannabis sativa.
He added that the NDLEA is equally committed to fighting the scourge of drug supply chain and to discourage the users of the drugs.
He described the drug demand consumption level in the country as alarming, insisting that all stakeholders have critical roles to play in bringing down the demand for consumption of drugs in the country.
Brig Gen. Marwa urged parents to be observant of their children and wards, and said religious leaders should use their platforms to preach against the dangers of drug intake and abuse.
He described parents particularly mothers, religious leaders, as having the responsibilities and burden to check drug intake and abuse, and said for the country to come out of the present insecurity it has found itself, the intake and abuse of drugs must be a priority of all.
The Chairman commended the initiative of the State Government to establish three rehabilitation centres in their state’s and stressed that the NDLEA is also working towards establishing one per geo political zone of the country.
He disclosed that the NDLEA is working towards the establishment of more Courts to try persons involved in drug abuse, assuring that it would soon come on board in the country.
He assured that the NDLEA is now well positioned to change the negative drug abuse trend in the country and assumed he would work assiduously to ensure that the future of the present and coming generation is not destroyed.
Earlier in a welcome remarks, the Kogi State Commander of NDLEA,, Alfred Adewumi, commended the repositioning of the NDLEA by Brig Gen Buba Marwa towards fighting the drug abuse syndrome to the barest minimumand said the scourge has negatively impacted the society.
He said the Command in the State is not resting on its oars in the fight against use of illicit drugs in the State.
Stakeholders at the meeting include members of persons living with disabilities, National union of Road transport workers National council for women society, Okada riders, patient medicine sellers association among others
At the meeting they all resolve variously to work with the reinvigorated NDLEA to reduce drastically the incidences of drug intake and abuse in the state.