The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) will collaborate with all stakeholders, including traditional rulers and community gatekeepers, to eradicate substance abuse and drug trafficking in communities nationwide.
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, announced this on Friday in Abuja during a visit from the Dein of Agbor, Benjamin Gbenoba.
“We’re currently deploying our personnel to local government areas to establish a grassroots presence, further our advocacy against substance abuse, and enforce laws against those dealing in illicit drugs at that level. Toward this, we met with the leadership of ALGON to make this process seamless and welcome the support and partnership of all stakeholders for successful implementation of our drug supply and demand reduction efforts through a whole-of-society approach,” Marwa said.
Earlier, the traditional ruler sought a partnership with the NDLEA to end drug dealers’ activities in his kingdom.
“We have been having some issues with drug dealers in Agbor. We’ve tried to handle it once or twice, but we’d like to at least be able to provide some land to have NDLEA come to Agbor. My main hope is Gen Marwa right here. Everything he touches turns to gold. Since he came on board at NDLEA, you people were reinvigorated. I have seen that since he came on board, the drug dealers are now more hesitant, and we need more of that. So, we continue to learn from his experience and continue to make sure that this Agency is strengthened as much as we can.”
He emphasized that this partnership aims to counter the devastating effects of illicit substances on the lives of youths and adults worldwide. His collaboration with NDLEA also sends a strong message to drug dealers that their time is up in his kingdom.
“You deserve to be incarcerated because that intelligence can also lead you to be selling houses or goods. Do something that doesn’t affect people negatively. Every drug dealer doesn’t want their children taking these hard drugs, but they don’t mind their neighbor next door taking such drugs. It is destroying us as a nation. Kidnappers are now using these illicit drugs to go about their nefarious activities. The reduction of it in our society will bring down the crime rate, robberies, and so on. My message to the drug dealers: beware, you are on notice; we do not want you in Agbor; we do not want you in our country.”
Gbenoba also warned those taking drugs that using them can be a life-or-death decision. “You destroy your family, and you destroy the people around you. So, as much as possible, choose life over death on these drugs,” he admonished. (NAN)
