By Haruna Salami
Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Buba Marwa has raised alarm that the drug addiction scourge is the number one problem facing Nigeria as it is everywhere destroying “our kids, women, youth and the family system”.
“Secondly, it is largely responsible for acts of criminalities which has pervaded all parts of the country, and the outcome witnessed in the spate of insecurity lately.
Marwa stated this Wednesday on advocacy visit to the leadership of the National Assembly at the general head of NDLEA management team.
He lamented: “Yes, you have insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, but if you go to Ogoni to speak to somebody about insurgency, he might not be concerned.
“If you go to some other parts of the country and speak of kidnapping in some areas, it’s not a major concern. If you go to some other areas and speak of banditry, it may not be of major concern.
“But when you enter the realm of drug abuse, every part of Nigeria, you can for sure say that everybody in this room knows somebody, or a neighbour or family that has affliction with drug abuse.
“You have to be crazy to commit some of these criminalities, and what fuels it is drug abuse. Even the insurgents and bandits themselves, they take drugs before they go into their activities,” Marwa added.
In his response, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said frug barons are funding terrorists and bandits, adding that Nigeria is a transit route for traffickers.
He linked the lingering insecurity to the funding activities of drug barons who provide insurgent groups such as Boko Haram, bandits and kidnappers with arms and ammunition to undertake criminal activities in the country.
At another meeting with House of Representatives Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Marwa and his team were assured of the unflinching support of the committee in the fight against drug abuse.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Francis Agbo told Marwa that the Police Trust Fund Act will be amended to enable the NDLEA benefit from it by changing “Police” in the Act to “Policing”.
Agbo assure the NDLEA team of constant support of the committee, adding “we are a phone call away from you”.
The Committee admonished the new chairman to muster the political will to fight drug abuse in high places since illicit drugs are some times moved in “security vehicles”.
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