From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna
The Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Ahmadu Giade yesterday said the insecurity challenge bedeviling Nigeria would not end with rampant drug abuse in the country.
The chairman disclosed this at the opening of the 2014 NDLEA Commander’s Summit held in Kaduna state.
According to him, there was a great link between narcotic drugs and crime, which has been a great challenge before world leaders.
He explained that security challenges cannot be effectively tackled without first of all addressing problem of drugs.
“Winning the war against drug is significant to combating the security challenges bedeviling Nigeria. We charged NDLEA commanders to design ways of fostering robust relationship with government and sister agencies in their various locations, as the task of drug control cannot be prosecuted in isolation,” he said.
The anti-drug agency boss called for new approach to the war against drugs, because modes of drug concealment by drug syndicates have assumed a more sophisticated pattern.
“We have observed that cannabis is concealed in foodstuff, domestic and industrial goods. Drug barons also use small cars with fake official plate number, bullion vans, trucks and tankers in conveying cannabis”, he explained.
“We must continue to maintain our superiority ahead of drug syndicates. We must also let go of practices that are no longer in tune with the present technological advancement in the industry.
Kaduna state governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, who declared the summit open, said the summit must deliberate extensively and make appropriate recommendation, to enable NDLEA arrest and prosecute offenders.
According to him, the state already had a draft Bill to address drug abuse.
Speaking through his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Yahaya Aminu, Yero said the state government having identified unemployment as one of the causes of drug abuse, resolved to train 1,000 unemployed graduates and provide them with loans from the Kaduna state government and Bank of Industry’s partnership on small-scale business.
As part of its commitment, governor Yero donated two ‘Hilux Jeep’ to NDLEA to facilitate its task force on drug offenders as he charged the agency to find a way to win the war against drug abuse.
