November 30, (THEWILL) – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has warned against internal sabotage in the renewed war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
Chairman of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), issued the warning on Thursday at the passing out ceremony of 2,500 cadets of Senior Officers, Basic Course 16 in Jos, Plateau.
A statement by the Spokesperson of the Agency, Femi Babafemi, said Marwa charged the NDLEA personnel to make their impact felt in the anti-drug war.
Represented by Mrs Victoria Egbase, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Marwa said, “The world of illicit drugs had become complex and more devastating to society, and the dynamics of the Nigerian drug situation had become more dire.
“That was why, the 2018 Drug Use Survey jolted Nigeria and sounded the alarm bell on the inevitability of arresting the situation.
“Hence, some 35 months ago, in January 2021, NDLEA was handed a lifeline to rejig its structure and improve its systems to counter contemporary drug problems.
“Today’s passing out ceremony, coming after months of rigorous training, is one of the manifestations of the ongoing restructuring in the agency.
“In the tradition of our noble organisation and according to global best practices, this batch of officers has been trained to be efficient drug law enforcement agents.
“They have spent the past four months in training, where they have learnt the intricacies of drug law enforcement and know that their job demands sacrifice, loyalty, and discipline.
“I have no doubt that they are aware of their position as an important cog in the law and order system of society.
“I must prepare your minds for the task ahead of you. The duties are such that there is no room for compromising the ethics of your profession or subverting the goals of the organisation.
“In our renewed campaign against illicit drugs, we are at a stage of ramped-up interdiction against cannabis, opioids, and other psychoactive substances.
“We cannot afford to decelerate our effort and we will not tolerate sabotage from within.
“What that means is that the injection of an additional 5,000 officers must have an immediate and far-reaching impact on the campaign. In other words: everyone must make their effort count.”
Justifying his charge to all officers, men and women of the agency, Marwa said, “We have seen the truth come back full circle in the past few weeks. Where world’s known abusers of cannabis have come out to tell the public they are either quitting or have been diagnosed with some ailment, notably emphysema, which puts them at risk of early death and mental harm.
“That should further add impetus to our collective effort to rid our society of the menace of cannabis and other such dangerous substances.
“For us in NDLEA, we hold our duty sacrosanct, and our duty is to do everything within the ambit of the law to cleanse our society of the menace of illicit substances.”
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