Over three million kilograms of drugs have been intercepted and seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Also ten thousand suspects had been arrested and one thousand had been convicted in the past ten months since the agency had a new Chairman, retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa.

Marwa said this during the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, CRAN, 2021 Annual Lecture and Award Ceremony themed: “Proliferation Of Drugs, Bane Of Insecurity” held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State.

The chairman who spoke through Commander of Narcotics, Lagos State Command, Callys Alumona, also said ten thousand “Collaboration with the press especially CRAN is one of the things that has made his tenure for the last ten months memorable.

He said banditry, rape, gender based violence and kidnapping was a synopsis to the fact that drug abuse was eating deep into the fabrics of Nigeria.
“Even, bandits and terrorists sometimes demand drugs in exchange for persons and they also export drugs in order to get arms to further terrorise us the more.

“It is a person under the influence of drugs that usually commits heinous crimes, therefore, drug abuse and drug trafficking is a war that must be won,” he said.

Marwa said one security agency alone cannot fight the issue of drug trafficking and drug abuse except we come together to rid Nigeria of this menace in the society.

“With this, we are sure that the foundations of insecurity will be weakend,” he said.
Marwa said that the police and army recently transferred some arrested suspects to the agency for persecution.

He also said the agency frequently raided night clubs and many other places to rid hooligans who engage in drug intake before they affect the society negatively.

“We are not stopping only on arrest and seizure but we are also focused in the supply and demand reduction of drugs in the society.
“If we stop the supply reduction then we are making progress,” the chairman said.

Marwa said President Muhammadu Buhari on June 26, launched the “War Against Drug Abuse” which will be brought to every state to tackle the menace of drug abuse.
“This war is to enlighten the public from the state government down to the local government, to the communities and to the family on the dangers of drug abuse.

“We will further go to secondary schools and market women to preach the gospel of stopping drugs because drug abuse kills and is inimical to growth whether you are poor or rich.
“Therefore, the best is yet to come in terms of eradicating drug abuse in the society,” he said.

The chairman urged the public to come up with information anywhere they see people gathering in the use of drugs.

“This will enable security agencies sweep into action and curtail such gatherings before they impact negatively on the society,” Marwa said.

Also speaking, Lagos State Police Commissioner Hakeem Odumosu assured Lagosians of a crime free yuletide celebration.

Odumosu said reduction in crime rate has been achieved through the synergy between all security agencies in the state.

The Lagos boss expressed his gratitude to all Lagosians, the media, sister security agencies for cooperation with the police in combating crime in Lagos in particular and Nigerians in General.

Chief Executive Officer of Strict Guard Security Lagos, Dr Bone Chinye Efoziem, outland the root causes of insecurity, presently ravaging various states in Nigeria.

Efoziem identified proliferation and bane as the two key words, underlying illicit drugs issues in the country.

He defined drug usage as all behaviour,actions and attitudes that are influenced by substances being used mostly by youths and some elders.

The security expert named some of the drugs as tramadol,marijuana,canabis,cocaine,heroin among other dangerous substances.

Dr Efoziem told the participants that though 99% of the addicts may not be able to afford cocaine heroin and the likes but can afford tramadol, Marijuana which is being sold at most motor parks, night clubs, hotels, schools at affordable prices.

His words,”No drugs,no insecurity and in South Eastern parts of Nigeria.
The increase in drug usage has emboldened some youth in such a way that if ten people are killed today, thirty others will emerge the next day to continue with the fight.

According to him, in the 1980 and 1990s,Nigeria was a transist country but today,those who successfully push hard drugs are given Chieftaincy titles in their villages and communities, even as Nigerians has become a drug usage Nation.
“Terrorism banditry, robbery, kidnapping, murder are some of the crimes induced by illicit drugs usage.

In his remark, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi called for death penalty for corrupt person’s in the country.

The first class traditional ruler also called for life imprisonment for accomplices of corrupt person’s to serve as deterrent.

He lamented that government has been paying lip service to fighting corruption, nothing that no top senior civil servant or politician has been jailed for corruption after six years of this regime.

Akanbi called on Nigerians to stop worshipping riches and start questioning the source of wealth of most people in high places in the society.

“Sadly,Nigerians are honouring thieves and worship money even if it was illegally acquired, stolen and other defrauded to get rich”,he said.

He lamented that people have getting away with crime hence the high rate of corruption in all level of the society.

According to him,the increasing level of drug unsafe in the country could be attributed to the high level of youth unemployment inthe country, calling on the government at all levels to fashion out programs that will gainfully employ the youth and steer them away from the use of drugs.

The royal father’s call on Nigerians to get back to their root, culture and the worship of God.

Also

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state said to effectively tackle the security challenges in the country, government at all levels should invest in education.

He disclosed that Kogi State invest 30 per cent of her budget on education, calling on other states to emulate Kogi, as to eradicate illiteracy which is yet another cause of the huge challenges facing the nation.

The governor spoke through his spokesman, Jerry Omodara.

In his welcome remarks, National President of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, CRAN, Sunday Odita called for synergy among all security agencies as to effectively curb the menace of bandits, kidnappers and all forms of crime and criminality.

Odita said the association was favourable dispose to work with all security agencies to tackle the menace of crime and the increase in drug intake in the society.

He lamented the high rate of killings of security personnel and noted that the award and recognition of security personnel who have contribution in their modest ways to keep lives and property safe and secure, by CRAN was a way of celebrating their selfless service.