Emeka Ibemere
Apparently
in a bid to cut supply of illicit drugs inflow in the North Central zone of the
country, as 2015 general election draws near, the think-tanks in the National
Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, met in Kaduna, Kaduna State to fashion out
the new way to stem the tide of drug racketing in the Zone.
The
august meeting was also in line with the anti-drug war agency’s effort in
seeking an elaborate stakeholders’’ collaboration in the war against the
dreaded crime.
Governor
Mukhtar Ramalan Yero used the occasion to call on the management of the NDLEA,
to seek collaboration with stakeholders in the war against narcotics.
The
Summit entitled: “Transforming NDLEA to Meet with Contemporary Challenges in
Drug Control in Nigeria”, was the 2014 Command Officer’s Summit. In his opening
remark, governor Yero who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Yahaya
Aminu pledges more support to the NDLEA.
“Kaduna State in partnership with the Agency
has presented a bill to the State House of Assembly to prohibit the abuse of
lawful substances like Zakami, a local plant that intoxicates and other items
being abused in the State”, Yero added.
“The
State is also creating employment for jobless youths as a way of preventing
drug abuse and criminal activities”.
He also
commended the NDLEA for her dogged anti-drug campaign in the State.
A Board
member of the NDLEA, Dr Bala Takaya urged officers of the Agency to partner
with other agencies because the task of drug control is huge.
“Let me
awaken you to the need for advocacy. The task of drug control is huge but not
insurmountable. I want you to continue to collaborate with legislators, members
of the executive, judiciary, lecturers, traditional rulers and others in the
anti-drug abuse campaign,” Bala stated.
Chairman/Chief
Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade tasked commanders to embrace change and
cope with the ever changing drug trade.
“Drug barons are constantly devising new ways
of smuggling their drugs to markets around the world. Most significantly, modes
of drug concealment have assumed a more sophisticated pattern. We must continue
to embrace change and maintain our superiority ahead of drug syndicates.” Giade
stated.
The
NDLEA boss added that the summit should provide the way forward for the Agency.
“Let us
identify better, faster and innovative ways of getting a task done. Let us
learn how to prevent and manage crisis. Let us identify barriers to effective
training, anti-drug abuse counselling, information gathering, and diligent
prosecution and proffer solutions on the way forward”.
Newswatch
Times learned that at the end of the summit, commanders are expected to go back
to their respective commands better informed and strategically repositioned for
the challenges ahead.
The
NDLEA Director General, Mrs Roli Bode-George in her remarks called for more
dedication and sacrifice in the fight against narcotic drugs.
Present
at the event was the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, CP Umar Usman Shehu and
heads of security organizations.
Meanwhile,
efforts of the NDLEA to eradicate illicit drugs from the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT), Abuja has continued to yield good results with the seizure of
4,832.74kg of various drugs and 102 bottles of cough syrup with codeine
content. The bottles of cough syrup were found in an abandoned defunct NITEL
box at Wuse Zone 4 during raid operation.
The
seized drugs which include Cannabis 4,787.35kg, psychotropic substances
44.86kg, cocaine 428 grammes and methamphetamine 103 grammes were intercepted
between January and October 2014. Suspected drug traffickers arrested within
the period are 309 consisting of 12 females and 297 males.
The
NDLEA equally won the conviction of 101 accused persons in 10 months while
other cases are still pending. Items forfeited from those convicted include 22
vehicles and 14 motorcycles. Counselling and rehabilitation services were also
provided for 79 persons with drug abuse problem.
Ahmadu
Giade said those convicted by the law courts include 21 year old Abubakar Sadiq
and Abdullahi Haruna, 22 year old both from Gwoza, Borno State. They were
sentenced to six years imprisonment each for dealing in 0.8 grammes of cocaine
and 1.6 grammes of cocaine respectively.
Mitchell
Ofoyeju told our Correspondent that Olaniyi Oluata, 32 year old from Owo, Ondo
State was sentenced to six years for dealing in 3.2 grammes of cocaine while
Oluwagbemiga David from Otta, Ogun State got six years for trafficking 105kg of
cannabis.
Giade,
NDLEA boss stated, “no stone shall be left unturned in the quest for a
drug-free society. Efforts are on-going to conduct more raids on criminal
hideouts and dislodge drug traffickers within the FCT and other parts of the
country”.
The FCT
Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Obiefule Dennis Chidi said that those rehabilitated
are mainly youths who abuse cannabis, cough syrup with codeine and other drugs.
“Let me call on parents to take advantage of
our free counselling and rehabilitation programme. In the past ten months the
FCT command successfully rehabilitated 79 persons mostly youths who have been
re-united with their families,” Obiefule stated.
He
urged parents to be vigilant and seek timely help for their children and wards
adding that some youths pour the cough syrups inside beverage containers to
avoid suspicion.
