By Emmanuel Ndukuba
Awka, March 8, 2024 – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra state, has refuted the claims by some youths who say that taking hard drugs gives them inspiration and makes them more creative.
Mr Daniel Onyishi, the state commandant made the disclosure in Awka, saying that the Agency seized no fewer than 3.338 tons of different types of hard drugs in the state in the year 2023
He said that the consignments and substances were seized at different locations in the state, adding that it was one of such seizures by the agency.
He explained that the Command secured no fewer than 160 convictions on drug-related offences and also rehabilitated 100 substance of abused patients in the state the within the same period.
Onyishi said the agency has been making continuous efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse in the state.
“We have been going through various avenues, such as radio programs, outdoor campaigns and sensitization of schools children on the dangers and detrimental effects of hard drugs both on the individuals taking it and the society at large.
Quoting a report of a recent research by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Onyishi said 14.4 per cent Nigerians are on drugs, adding that the research also projected that the alarming figure may hit 40 per cent by 2030.
He called for a collaborative efforts in the fight against drug abuse, to bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to him, selling or trafficking drugs is not a business venture, members of the public should not shield the perpetrators but to always expose and report any drug dealer, irrespective of their relationship or closeness with the person.
He said: “If you know anyone who deals on drugs, inform us. Don’t shield or harbour them. Selling drugs is not a business.
“Anybody who knows a drug dealer but shields him or refuses to let us know about his illicit drug deals is an enemy of the state because you’re not doing the society any good.
“But if you reveal the information to us, you will see that we will tackle the menace from the root point and achieve greater results, because if there is no supply, there can’t be demand.
“People use drugs because they see where to get them. But when they don’t see drugs to buy, they won’t have any to use. And by so doing, the society gets better sanitized of drugs.”
Onyishi also reiterated his refutation against the claims by some youths who say that hard drugs give them inspiration and make them creative.
He described it as false impression, stressing that drug do not give inspiration, and do not make one creative or intelligent, let alone allowing the person contribute positively in the society.
While advising the public to stay away from illicit drugs, he further reassured that the agency would not relent in combating the menace.
Onyishi also expressed optimism that the Agency’s new collaboration with the wife of the state governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo, who is the Chairperson of the State’s Drug Control Committee, would yield more fruitful and impactful results in the fight against drug abuse in the state.
