Marwa made this known during a special Juma’at service as part of activities to commemorate the 2024 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at the National Mosque in Abuja on Friday.
World Drug Day is celebrated annually on June 26. This year’s celebration is themed “Evidence is Clear, Let Us Invest in Prevention”.
The NDLEA boss said that the 2018 drug use survey showed that 15 million Nigerians abused drugs, saying that it was three times the global average.
Marwa, who described the report as unacceptable said that the aim of the year 2024 World Drug Day (WDD) Campaign was Prevention.
“Money-making is the major reason drug barons are persistent in spite of the efforts of the agency to curb to the barest minimum drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. When you look at the population of Nigeria and you take out 15 million, it means the rest are not.
“We don’t want even a single Nigerian to enter that basket of users. We have made seizures in three years of 761,000 tons but they still keep coming and we have to look at the other side. Now, assuming we didn’t seize it, where will it be? it will be on the streets and the money would have been used for very negative purposes or it would have gone to the criminals.
“We are doing our level best, supported by the government to make sure the supply reduction is very effective,” he said.
Marwa added that prevention was very important in dealing with drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking, adding that the agency had recommended a two-track approach.
He said that the first and most important track was global which was the entire society, all fragments, beginning with the family and parenting, adding that the children should be taught as they grow up why drug use is bad.
“We have children killing their parents. So in any case, parentage and parenting are also important. Most important is the community level, the traditional institution, religious bodies, both Christian and Muslim should include in their sermons and the advocacy in the school system and the curriculum.
“There should be random drug tests. For instance, we have promoted drug tests for students, tertiary institutions and drug tests before marriage. When you go for the wedding, bring the HIV, the genotype and bring drug tests that are negative.
“These are some of the steps on this side. On the other side is to deny the availability of drugs and access. You have to have drugs first to abuse it. And it’s our job as NDLEA to launch operations to seize drugs, arrest the offenders, take them to court, and seize their assets as well, “he said.
NAN
