Juliana Francis
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), General Mohammed Buba Marwa, (Rtd) is proposing drug tests for all tertiary institutions’ students, security agencies’ fresh recruits and government appointees.
He has also given commanders of the agency in all the states of the federation and special commands, marching orders to mop up illicit drugs across the country.
These were Marwa’s highlights during his meeting with commanders of the 36 states, FCT and special commands yesterday at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
It was during this meeting he hinted of plans to seek government’s approval to conduct drug tests on tertiary institutions’ new students, security agencies’ fresh recruits and all newly appointed government employees.
Marwa said: “All commanders must be desirous of keeping drugs out of Nigerian streets and homes, and so all of you must shape up and get all those engaged in the nefarious business to face the music, and I need results from now on. Our maxim will be offensive action. This means we must go all out constantly on the offensive against the bad guys. The success we make of this particular task goes a long way to determine the socio-economic stability of the nation. We need not be told of the nexus between drug use, crime and criminalities. The exponential growth of the nefarious drug activities can be directly linked to the upsurge in crimes such as insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, cultism, political thugs, gangsters, rape and other issues bedeviling today’s Nigeria.”
The new anti-narcotic chief further stated: “It is not going to be business as usual. It is a moving train. Please, let no body stand in its front. The train will crush any such person. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. To the unbending drug crime perpetrators, I will like to let them know also that the game is up! It is high time they embraced another trade. The federal government policy on agriculture is a window for them to leverage on.”
He noted that he would put more efforts on drug demand reduction as part of plans to eradicate the scourge in Nigeria.
Reeling out his plans for the agency Marwa said: “While strengthening our enforcement activities, we will equally devout a lot of efforts to prevention, treatment and after care and focus on family, parenting, community, school systems, advocacy to all groups through traditional institutions, religious bodies, media, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), Civil Society Organisations, state and local governments, among others. We will rehabilitate our rehab centres, make them functional while more will be built.”
He also mentioned that he would soon propose to the government, “the necessity for drug tests for all tertiary institutions, resuming students, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, new workers, all security agencies new recruits and random tests for government appointees. NDLEA is ready to help and we must help.”
Marwa, who also expressed his determination to run with the “National Drug Control Master Plan, Our Road Map,” said toll free call centers/ help lines would soon be set up for the use of Nigerians ready to give information or seek intervention from the agency.
“Ours is a national assignment. Drug has littered everywhere; every community. We will lead the fight and we will succeed. Make no mistake about it, it’s a collective effort.”
While assuring them the commanders that their welfare was a priority to him, he said the suspended training of newly recruited personnel would soon resume once appropriate clearance from relevant authorities has been secured.
His words: “Issues of welfare of staff of the agency of paramount importance and urgency. It will be tackled. I’m aware there are no barracks, which is not conducive for your line and kind of duty. This as well as operational and logistics issues will be looked into.”
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