The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said it has confiscated more than three million kilograms of illicit substances in one year.
The Chairman, NDLEA, Brig Gen Buba Marwa, disclosed this at the graduation of 31 beneficiaries (set 50) of the Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry at the Enoch and Folu Adeboye Rehabilitation Centre, Epe, Lagos State.
Marwa said the agency would continue its unrelenting war against drug abuse in the country.
He stated that drug abuse was becoming endemic, especially among young people, hence the need to intensify efforts towards reducing it to the barest minimum.
The NDLEA chairman said research indicated that Nigeria had a drug use prevalence of 14.4 per cent, almost triple the global average of 5.5 per cent.
Marwa, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Commander, General Investigation, NDLEA, Adeyemi Adeofe, stated, “To change the drug narrative in Nigeria, we launched an offensive action, which is a non-stop drug supply reduction activity that entailed relentless tracking, pursuit, arrest and prosecution of drug traffickers. Since January 2021, we have been scoring big in this assignment.
“Our record in one year included 12,306 arrests and 1,367 convictions; seizure of 3.4 million kilograms of illicit substances, including cannabis, cocaine, codeine, heroin, tramadol; and the recovery of cash and drugs worth over N130bn. In 2021, we successfully counselled and rehabilitated 7,761 drug users in NDLEA facilities.”
He expressed appreciation to the CADAM for its efforts in mitigating the effects of illicit drug abuse in Nigeria.
“The activities of CADAM, I must confess, are momentous contributions to the concerted effort to check the ravages of illicit substances in Nigeria, and posterity, I dare say, will be kind to CADAM for having played such a significant role,” Marwa added.
The Matron, CADAM, Mrs Folu Adeboye, stated, “We are ushering them back into the society with the hope and determination to live independent and productive drug-free lives. We are confident that with the new foundation laid here, the support of the family and the grace of God, these wonderful people will attain their destinies.
“We must not be discouraged but instead be encouraged to jointly work together to reduce the spate of this scourge, particularly among our teenagers and young adults. We cannot afford to continue with the current nonchalance or benign neglect of this teeming population.”
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