The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, or NDLEA, announced that it would step up its campaign against illegal drugs, warning that anyone caught up in the conflict would face harder times.
NDLEA would pursue anyone selling drugs, whom he referred to as a “merchant of death,” according to the agency’s secretary, Mr. Shadrach Haruna, who spoke on behalf of the chairman of the organization, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd).
He spoke outside the National Association of Nigerian Drug Monitoring (NANDRUM) and the leadership of the National Assembly’s third annual drug lecture series in Abuja, where they praised NDLEA for its efforts in combating the drug problem there.
Haruna acknowledged the difficulties in combating drug trafficking but insisted that the fight would be stepped up even as it serves as a springboard for terrorism, banditry, and other types of criminal activity.
“We all know that drug abuse has been a challenge in this country and it’s a scourge to many homes. We have seen an increase in banditry, terrorism and all manner of violent crimes and societal vices in the country, and they are associated with drug and substance abuse. What NDLEA is committed to doing is to free Nigeria and Nigerians from the problems of drug and substance abuse,” he said.
The NDLEA Secretary responded to inquiries regarding the involvement of privileged members of society in the drug trade by stating that “they are the cartels that have been the focus of arrest by NDLEA in recent times.”
He stated:
“The elite are the drug barons and drug cartels, and if you follow the news recently, you will discover that NDLEA has about twenty drug barons in their net.”
He claimed that several drug lords had been apprehended, charged, imprisoned, and had their assets seized.
“They have a lot of property and so many chieftaincy titles in the society but we don’t give a damn because if you have committed a crime, you have to answer for it. And many of them are going down,” he said.
Prior to his remarks, Senate President Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan praised the NDLEA director for his accomplishments at the agency. He was represented at the event by Senator Ajayi Borofice, the Deputy Leader of the Senate, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics.
The lecture’s topic was “Drug and Narcotic Substance Abuse: Overcoming the Challenges,” and it was held midweek at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
