The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State have stated that for Nigeria to defeat the twin evil of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, Nigerians must rise in unison to stamp out the scourge from communities and cities across the country.
They stated this when the NDLEA boss paid the governor a courtesy visit at the Government House in Asaba, the state capital during his three-day working visit to the state, which ended on Friday.
Explaining his mission to the governor and members of his executive council at the executive chamber of the Government House, where he was received along with senior NDLEA officials, who accompanied him, Marwa said he was visiting Delta to personally condole the family of Mr. Fidelis Omhonrina, over the tragedy of the unintended death of young Ivan and the wounding of his brother, Eromosele, as a result of a ricocheted bullet that strayed 600 metres away from the scene of an NDLEA encounter with some notorious drug dealers on 13th July in Asaba.
He said he was equally in the state to assess the operational needs of the Delta State Command and Delta Ports Command of the agency with a view to mobilising officers and men of the two formations to go all out for drug cartels operating in the state. He also added that his third mission was to rally stakeholders key to a successful fight against the drug menace in Delta.
He said with a projected rate of 40 per cent rise in drug abuse in Africa by 2030, all well meaning Nigerians and organisations must unite behind the anti-narcotics agency in its ongoing renewed efforts in drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction. While encouraging the governor to intensify his poverty alleviation programmes to address youth unemployment, which is a major trigger for substance abuse, Marwa asked for logistics support for the two Commands in the state, setting up of drug control committees from state to local government and community levels as well as provision of rehabilitation centres in each of the three senatorial zones of the state.
He commended the governor for his good works within a short time in office and his commitment to the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.
In his response, Governor Oborevwori celebrated Marwa for always providing quality leadership and unflinching dedication to duty in all national assignments assigned to him.