We’ll deploy our personnel to 774 LGAs in 2024, says NDLEA boss, Marwa

Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has said that the anti-narcotics body will deploy personnel in all 774 local government areas of the country in 2024 as part of efforts to strengthen the war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking especially in local communities.

He stated this while responding to request for partnership and deployment of more NDLEA officers in all parts of Katsina by the state governor, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda to curb the problem of drug abuse and insecurity in the state.

He said with the Agency’s staff strength expected to rise to 15,000 by the end of the year, the next “development is to deploy in the LGAs. We currently have zonal commands, state commands, and area commands.

We want to go to the LGAs for the offensive action and the advocacy work. We would need more support to succeed. I appreciate the work of the Katsina governor as the challenges are numerous in governing the state.

But if insecurity is a problem and is fueled by drugs, I believe we have to collectively take it out of the security equation.” He commended Governor Radda for his efforts to surmount the various challenges faced and enhance the socio-economic development of the state.

According to him, “The drug menace is a huge issue and has destroyed the lives of our youths and communities. It is the public enemy number one, and especially the criminal aspect of it. 99% of the criminals must first have access to drugs and be under the influence to perpetrate some of their acts.

That is why the NDLEA under the collective support of the directorates and the management has put all efforts towards operation ‘offensive action.’

This involves going out to seize all drugs cultivated, imported or on the verge of being exported out of the country. Over 6,668 tons of illicit substances have been seized in two years, and we assure that we will continue relentlessly until the streets are clean of drugs.

This is the drug supply reduction aspect, where we arrest the perpetrators of the act, and over 36,096 suspects have been arrested and more than 6,043 already prosecuted and convicted within this period.”

He said the other side of the fight is drug demand reduction, which focuses on prevention, treatment and aftercare of drug dependent persons. “The preventive measure faces those who have not started or are about starting drug use. They are targeted through advocacy and sensitisation across all levels.

It is for this reason we structured the WADA initiative from the National to LGA levels. We appeal to the government to have a state drug control committee of which the NDLEA will be the secretary and the chairperson would be the First Lady of the state. The first ladies are in the strategic position, because they are the mothers and have the best interest of the government at heart.