NDLEA, Plateau state to strengthen collaboration on drug war

By Oluwakemi kindness

 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has reiterated calls for concerted efforts to reduce the menace of substance abuse in the country.

 

This followed collaboration between the NDLEA and the Plateau state government with a view to curbing the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.

 

Governor Caleb Mutfwang and NDLEA Chairman retired Brigadier General, Mohamed Buba-Marwa, expressed their preparedness for the renewed partnership in their remarks on Thursday when Governor Mutfwang paid Marwa a courtesy visit at the Agency’s National Headquarters in Abuja.

 

A statement by the spokesperson of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, while commending the governor for his commitment to ensuring peace, security of lives and property on the Plateau, Marwa “noted that a total of 6,975.6 kilograms of illicit drugs such as Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Cannabis and Opioids were seized across the state in the last two years, leading to the arrest of 1,720 suspects and conviction of 156 while the trial of others are ongoing”.

 

Marwa urged the governor to support with a standard rehabilitation centre, activate drug control committees at the state, local government and community levels, in addition to adopting drug testing policy in schools, homes and communities across the state.

 

Speaking earlier, Governor Mutfwang commended Marwa’s leadership skills in the turn around and performance of NDLEA since he assumed the chairmanship of the Agency in 2021.

 

 “We’ve followed keenly your performance and we can say that since your coming on board, NDLEA has gone about its functions with more vigour, with more determination. And I know that quite a lot of the people who profit from trading illicit drugs have not found it easy since your coming on board”, he stated.

 

“On our part as a state, we are willing to be able to collaborate more with you and make sure that we reduce this menace to the barest minimum. And so, we’ve come today just to reinvigorate that cooperation. So far, we have enjoyed the cooperation of your staff in our state and we want to continue to do more, share information, share intelligence and see how we can collaborate.”

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