10.6m Nigerian consumers actively abusing cannabis, says NDLEA

*President Muhammadu Buhari says the war against drugs is a war that must be fought by all in the country, and War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) is a call for civil action for all Nigerians to take active part

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has bemoaned Nigerians’ pervasive abuse of (cannabis) substance in the country.

Buba Mohammed Marwa, Chairman of NDLEA, disclosed this development Saturday, June 26, 2021, at the launch of War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) in commemoration of the United Nations International Day against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

The theme for this year’s event is, “Share Facts on Drugs. Save Lives”, and the programme held in the State House Conference Centre, in Abuja, FCT, agency report said.

Marwa stated that about 10.6 million Nigerians are actively abusing the substance, describing the country as the highest user of cannabis globally.

He noted that the increasing trend of drug abuse in Nigeria is worrisome and has become an enabler of insecurity and a catalyst for terrorism.

It is recalled since the inception of his leadership of the anti-narcotics agency, Marwa has constantly campaigned against the abuse of drugs in the country.

ConsumerConnect had reported the NDLEA Chief Executive Monday stressed that he is opposed to demands for the legalisation of cannabis in Nigeria.

According to him, the country cannot afford to mortgage the lives of the citizens for financial gains by legalising cannabis.

He further disclosed that regulatory agency, under his administration, has seized N90 million worth of drugs.

Marwa revealed the NDLEA has called for partnership particularly with the establishment of a Special purpose committee, to win the war against drug abuse.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, was represented by Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and members of the National Assembly (NASS) and other top government functionaries also attended the occasion.

President Buhari said illicit drugs posed more danger to Nigeria than that posed by insurgency, banditry, and other threats to the stability of the country.

The President also charged the NDLEA to intensify efforts at ridding the vast forests of the South-West and South-South regions of the country of criminal elements, who had made the places their hideouts, from where they launch criminal onslaughts as well as for farming marijuana.

Buhari said:  “I am directing the NDLEA to develop a robust risk-communication and community engagement strategy that will not only disseminate the four pillars of the plan to responsible entities, but also deal with destroying production sites and laboratories, break the supply chain, discourage drug use and prosecute offenders as well as traffickers, rehabilitate addicts and enforcement of relevant laws.

“I want to particularly draw the attention of the agency to the fact that the use of many of our forests as criminal hideouts is because large swathes of cannabis plantations are hidden deep within those forests, especially in the South-West and the South-South.”

He stated: “You may therefore, need to drive these criminal elements from such hideouts because they use it for the growth of these plants and also as a respository for criminal elements to conclude and plan their adventures on our people.

“On this United Nations anti-drug day, I call on all families, schools, civil society organisations, professional associations, religious organisations, the academia, community leaders and individuals to work for the common good in order to rid their communities of drug use and trafficking.”

In appreciating the efforts of the relevant stakeholders in battling drug trafficking and related crimes in the country, the President applauded international collaborators, especially the European Union (EU) and United Nations Office for Drugs and Control, for their unwavering support to our drug control efforts, including the development of our roadmap.

“Also appreciated are the members of the inter-ministerial committee on drug control, civil society organisations, the academia, for their contributions and efforts to our National Drug Control initiatives,” he stated.

He said the war against drug abuse and trafficking must be won in Nigeria.

Buhari added: “The war against drugs is a war that must be fought by all, it is therefore my pleasure, to declare on behalf of the good people of Nigeria, a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), not just as a slogan, but a call for civil action for all Nigerians to take active part in this war.”

Kindly Share This Story