NDLEA and ALGON tackle drug addiction and trafficking in local communities

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Local Government Association of Nigeria have agreed to collaborate to address the problems of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in communities across the country.

NDLEA Chairman Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) said the partnership was necessary because drug abuse and trafficking are more prevalent in local communities.

According to a statement on Saturday by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, Marwa also urged the LG chairmen to ensure that people at the grassroots are well sensitized on the dangers of illicit drug abuse and to also provide help to those who are already engaging in this unhealthy habit.

He said: “We are particularly happy that you are here to identify with our work and partner with us because you are the level of government that is closest to the people, especially the grassroots and our communities where the majority of Nigerians reside. This is especially true because the scourge of drugs is present in virtually all our communities, and no community across the country is spared. We therefore need your partnership to converge all our efforts in terms of drug demand reduction and even supply reduction, even to remote communities.”

“This partnership is also important at a time when we are deploying our personnel to local government areas to establish our physical presence in rural communities so that we can assist you in combating the scourge of illicit drug abuse and trafficking, which fuels crimes and criminalities in these areas.

Babafemi said Marwa encouraged ALGON leaders to mobilize their members nationwide to set up local government drug control committees and war committees against drug abuse.

He added that the committee should include traditional leaders, religious leaders as well as market and women groups, among others at the community level.

“He encouraged them to also consider advocacy and drug testing as major elements of their efforts when they return to their local governments to begin implementing the various strategies discussed at the meeting.

“He added that to facilitate drug testing, the Agency has mass produced quality testing kits that are easy to use at home, office and elsewhere with the aim of early detection and provision of treatment to those who test positive as well as to create deterrence,” the press release added.

In his speech, the National President of ALGON, Aminu Maitafa, lamented the negative impact of drug abuse on health, businesses and security of lives and property at the grassroots, while expressing the body’s commitment to working with the NDLEA to ensure that this ugly development is reversed as a matter of urgency.

He said: “As a Local Government Agency in Nigeria, we appreciate the tremendous work this agency is doing under your leadership, and that is why we have come to partner with you so that we can collectively eradicate the problem of drug abuse in our communities.”

Maitafa assured that they would put in place the necessary structures that will facilitate the deployment of NDLEA personnel in their communal areas.