Bauchi State Command of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested 372 drug offenders, successfully prosecuted and convicted 103 of them and 31 other cases still pending in Court, while 73 drug users have been counselled and rehabilitated, majority of them through brief preventions.
The state Commander of the NDLEA, CN Ali Aminu revealed this on Monday while addressing journalists in his office at the Command Headquarters in commemoration of the 2023
International Day Against Drug/Substance Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking which is held on 26th June of every year.
He added that the Command seized a total of 1,289.153 kilograms of different classes of drugs from August, 2022 to date saying, “It is also worthy of note to mention that the Command discovered and harvested Cannabis farm at Digare, Alkaleri LGA of the State in conjunction with 33 Artillery Nigerian Army. Also in Dafa Tuwo Village, Darazo LGA, Tsangayar Njeri, Ningi LGA and another Cannabis farm at Giade town, Giade LGA.”
According him, “today, it is no longer news that the world is under seige by the menace of illicit substance abuse and trafficking. Nigeria is no exception. This year’s theme “People First; Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen
Prevention” is in furtherance of the whole-of-society approach to taming the drug
courge.”
The Commander also advised Nigerians to stop stigmatisation that is discouraging drug users from seeking treatment, a development that has serious negative socio-economic repercussions for individuals and their families.
“Stigmatization and discrimination make recovery and reintegration difficult for dug-dependent users who submit themselves to treatment. And the prevalence of such an attitude is counterproductive to the effort, time and resources invested by governments, institutions, and stakeholders working to contain the drug problem”, he said.
According yo him, “The theme is especially pertinent to Nigerian situation at the moment. I advise the society to drop the stigmatization that discourages drug users from seeking treatment, a development that has serious socio-economic percussions for individuals and their families.”
He added, “the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is the lead Agency in the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA). However, the Agency cannot win this War alone. It is to all and sundry, individuals, State Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Schools, Religious bodies and sister Security Agencies to enable us raise awareness and share information on the cancerous menace of the spectre of illicit substance abuse and trafficking to our persons, immediate environment and nation. As it is usually said if you are not infected, you are affected.”
Aminu then appreciated the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) for repositioning the Agency and bringing in a new zeal into the personnel of the Agency to rededicate themselves to fighting the scourge of illicit drug abuse and trafficking.
