Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has stressed the need for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to re-strategise and collaborate more with relevant agencies in the fight against the use of illicit drugs and their peddlers.
Yahaya stated this on Tuesday when he received the new zonal Commander of the agency in charge of Zone B, comprising Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba States.
According to him, there was a clear correlation between the use of drugs and crimes, assuring the NDLEA of his administration’s commitment to continually work in partnership with the agency in order to combat the sale and use of illicit drugs in the State.
He called on security agencies in the state to be wary of flashpoints as the centrality of Gombe State makes it a preferred destination for drug peddling and its abuse.
He said the state sits at the centre of the North-East and therefore becomes easy access for all manner of people including the good and the bad ones.
Yahaya stressed that more needed to be done by both the NDLEA as well as sister agencies to rid the society of substance abuse, observing that such could only happen with a stronger synergy.
He said, “The statistics are really high and worrisome for Gombe to be the highest in terms of the use of hard drugs. I got wind of this information when I visited NDLEA Chairman, Gen. Buba Marwa.
“I am happy that the zonal office is being set up for better coordination, that means decisions and actions will be taken in order to complement the operations of the state office, which will equally mean better performance to combat drug abuse and trafficking in the State.”
The Governor noted that while rehabilitation of drug addicts was fundamental, combating its abuse and peddling was equally important to avoid substance abuse in the first place.
On the issue of funds and logistics, a barracks and a correctional centre, Governor Yahaya explained that despite the paucity of funds amid competing demands, his administration would do all it could to support the NDLEA.
Speaking earlier, the Zonal Commander of the NDLEA, Idris Bello, appreciated the governor for assisting the state office of the agency to carry out its constitutional responsibility.
The visiting Zonal Commander equally noted the spectrums of youth empowerment in the state, describing it as a subtle and intelligent method of fighting drug abuse among the younger ones.
He observed that drugs abuse had a direct link with crimes and criminalities and therefore wants the support of the Gombe State Government in the fight against the sale and use of illicit drugs.
The NDLEA commander said the time had come for all Nigerians to get involved in the fight against drugs abuse, saying the agency could not do it all alone.
He observed that most of the state commands are constrained due to a lack of funds and logistics and therefore appealed to Governor Yahaya to consider giving some interventions in this regard, particularly at the Drug Rehabilitation Centre of the Agency.
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