2015: NDLEA Commanders meet in Kaduna

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.