The Bauchi State Command of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that the Command arrested 372 drug offenders, successfully prosecuted and convicted 103 of them with 31 other cases still pending in Court, while 73 drug users were counselled and rehabilitated.
The disclosure was made by the Commander, Ali Aminu while addressing journalists in his office at the Command Headquarters, Bauchi on Monday.
With regards to drug seizure, he said that the Command seized a total of 1,289.153 kilograms of different classes of drugs from August, 2022 to date saying, “It is also worthy of note to mention that the Command discovered and harvested Cannabis farm at Digare, Alkaleri LGA of the State in conjunction with 33 Artillery Nigerian Army. Also in Dafa Tuwo Village, Darazo LGA, Tsangayar Njeri, Ningi LGA and another Cannabis farm at Giade town, Giade LGA.”
Aminu who was holding his inaugural press briefing since his assumption of office as the substantive State Commander of NDLEA in Bauchi state Command on August 4th, 2022 said that incidentally, the briefing coincided with the commemoration of the 2023
International Day Against Drug/Substance Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking which holds on 26th of June every year.
He stressed that, “Today, it is no longer news that the world is under seige by the menace of illicit substance abuse and trafficking. Nigeria is no exception. This year’s theme “People First; Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen
Prevention” is in furtherance of the whole-of-society approach to taming the drug scourge.”
He advised Nigerians to stop stigmatisation that is discouraging drug users from seeking treatment, a development that has serious negative socio-economic repercussions for individuals and their families.
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According to him, “Stigmatization and discrimination make recovery and reintegration difficult for drug-dependent users who submit themselves to treatment. And the prevalence of such an attitude is counterproductive to the effort, time and resources invested by governments, institutions, and stakeholders working to contain the drug problem.”
He added that, “The theme is especially pertinent to Nigerian situation at the moment. I advice the society to drop the stigmatization that discourages drug users from seeking treatment, a development that has serious socio-economic percussions for individuals and their families.”
According to him, “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is the lead Agency in the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA). However, the Agency cannot win this War alone. It is to all and sundry, individuals, State Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Schools, Religious bodies and sister Security Agencies to enable us raise awareness and share information on the cancerous menace of the spectre of illicit substance abuse and trafficking to our persons, immediate environment and nation. As it is usually said if you are not infected, you are affected.
“Indeed, the war is on and these purveyors of death and destruction are warned to steer clear of Bauchi State or be ready to face the wrath of the law,” the Commander declared.
By Yemi Kanji
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