The ongoing amendment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA’s Act at the National Assembly would strengthen the country’s fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
The Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Muhamad Buba Marwa stated this Thursday, while delivering his opening remarks at the NDLEA Special Propose Committee (SPC) Conference held in Abuja.
TheFact Daily gathers that the new bill, which is in its final stage of being passed, would strengthen the hand of the anti-narcotics agency, as well as discourage trafficking of illicit substances due to stringent deterrents stipulated therein for drug offences.
Marwa debunked recent reports that the drug abuse problem was in every household in Nigeria, and corrected the misrepresentation by stating that there were indeed families not affected by the menace. However, he said, this could not be said of the communities, as “it is almost certain that every community has this problem”, and called on good-spirited citizens to join the fight against the drug scourge”.
The anti-narcotics Agency’s Chief further disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari, who has a thorough understanding of the drug problem in Nigeria, has, as part of his continuous support to the agency, approved the recruitment of additional 5,000 officers and men to strengthen its operations.
Marwa attributed the several successes so far recorded by the NDLEA under his administration to the high premium he emplaced on personel training, as well as personel welfare which remains top on his agenda.
In her goodwill message to the Conference, the First Lady of Edo State, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, underscored the importance of the SPC to the work of the NDLEA.
While showering Marwa with encomiums, Mrs. Obaseki, who is a member of the SPC, further urged participants at the conference to remain optimistic about a glorious Nigeria.
The Conference was coordinated by a former Director-General of NDLEA, Otunba Lanre Ipinmisho.
