The Kwara Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has promised increased involvement in sports events as part of efforts to wage war against drug abuse and trafficking.
NDLEA’s Kwara Commander, Bashir Ibrahim, made the promise on Wednesday in Ilorin when members of the state chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) paid him a courtesy visit.
The commander said the decision had become necessary because of recent challenges faced in policing drug traffickers in the state.
Speaking on the danger it poses to sports, the commander noted that youths were particularly vulnerable to drug abuse.
”NDLEA will now be more visible in sports events. We want to curb the trending menace of drug abuse by athletes.
”Youths tend to glamourise drug use. Matters are not helped when adults, handlers of athletes tend to sell them the drugs.
”We recently secured conviction of a coach who was selling drugs to young athletes under his care,” he said.
According to the NDLEA commander, the use and supply of synthetic cannabis, a modified form of Indian hemp, is now prevalent among drug abusers and athletes.
He added that more women appear to be involved in the supply chain of the banned substances, including synthetic cannabis, “loud” and “Colorado”.
Ibrahim said based on United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data, Kwara had a drug trafficking prevalence of 13 percent.
He noted that it was the highest in the whole of the country’s North-Central region.
“The data from the UNODC is however quite obsolete given that it was produced in 2018 and statistical data are reviewed at least every five years).
”This is what makes the job of drug law enforcement challenging,” the NDLEA commander said.
The Kwara SWAN Chairman, Ayodeji Ismail, while speaking said sports writers were aware of the dangers the menace had continued to pose to sports and youth development.
He said Kwara SWAN was seeking collaborations in capacity building in the area of drugs and sports to further enhance the reportorial skills of its members.
Ismail also advised that NDLEA should always make its presence felt at sports events.
”Your presence will help keep drug traffickers away from our athletes,” he said.( NAN)
By Toba Ajayi
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