The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), General Muhammad Buba Marwa, Ret’d, has advised Nigerian citizens to take ownership of the fight against drug abuse in the country.
He stated this on Tuesday through the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in an early morning conversation with the President of the National Association of Online Security Reporters (NAOSRE), Comrade Femi Oyewale.
During the brief interaction, Marwa explained the committed efforts of the agency to ensure that drug abuse in Nigeria becomes almost nonexistent.
He however emphasized that citizens must brace up and support the agency through accurate information about the activities of drug agents and their corresponding abuse.
“We need citizens’ supports to be successful. In fact, citizens should take ownership of the fight against drug abuse in the country.
“With the little resource available to us at NDLEA, we are building high-tech manpower to deal with any situation. We, therefore, urge citizens to support us with accurate information about the activities of drug agents and we will respond swiftly,” he requested.
In like manner, Marwa called on the media for more support in the agency’s campaigns against drug abuse, saying the government needs sane citizens and individuals to progress in its policies and developmental programmes.
He added that what mostly fuels criminal activities is traceable to drug-enhanced insanity.
He, therefore, called on parents to redouble efforts in their children’s proper upbringing and tasked the media with elevating the campaigns against drug abuse.
“We thank all our media partners for the huge supports. We are particularly grateful to NAOSRE for all its supports. NDLEA needs more of it because if we fail to do so, anyone could fall victim to drug provoked crimes,” he stated.
The NDLEA boss explained that at the moment, there are about 20 million Nigerians affected by drug abuse saying the agency, nonetheless, is on top of the situation.
Earlier, Oyewale Femi reaffirmed NAOSRE’s commitment to the goals of NDLEA in the struggle to stamp out drug abuse in the system.
“We are committed to your advocacy against drug abuse. NAOSRE is proud of the renewed fight against drug abuse by the new leadership of NDLEA headed by General Marwa. Be assured of our media supports,” he promised.
Oyewale maintained that the cardinal focus for the establishment of the association is to promote sustainable harmony amongst security, safety agencies and the citizens through unbiased reportage.
