‘Over 100 NDLEA officers killed’

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that an estimated 16000,000 Nigerians use narcotic drugs. This was made known at the official presentation of an antidrug abuse campaign tagged, ‘Be Smart, Don’t Start.’

The campaign is jointly promoted by the Agency in collaboration with the Celebrity Drug-Free Club. Chairman of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade, while unveiling the television commercial said that efforts must be made to reduce drug use through advocacy and public enlightenment.
Giade said: “16,000,000 Nigerians use cannabis commonly known as hemp, while 7,000,000 Nigerians use cocaine, heroin or both. 77,488 suspected drug traffickers were arrested by the NDLEA between 2000 and 2013 for various drug offences even as over 100 officers died in the line of duty since the Agency commenced operations in 1990.”
While calling on families, schools, organisations and individuals to take the campaign beyond the television screen; the NDLEA boss urged international organisations, corporate bodies and individuals to take advantage of this opportunity by sponsoring the commercial on national and international media stations.
“We must continue to work very hard in reducing the number of persons who use drugs and also support the Agency in preventing casualties in the war against drug cartels. Every contribution towards drug control is a worthy investment towards a peaceful and secure society.
Let me appeal to donor agencies to see this as a viable investment opportunity.” The president of Drug Salvation Force, Mr Wilson Ighodalo, said that members of the Club were deeply committed to the anti-drug abuse campaign.
Ighodalo added: “The production of this television commercial by the Celebrity Drug-Free Club is part of our contribution to what the NDLEA is doing to reduce the problem of drug abuse and drug trafficking.
This campaign is targeted at the youths who are vulnerable to drug use. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute our quota in helping humanity.”
NDLEA Director General Mrs Roli Bode-George thanked members of the Club for their invaluable contribution to the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria. She stressed that the Agency was willing to partner with stakeholders in line with best global practice.