Gov Bala Launches War Against Drug Abuse As NDLEA Displays Seized Illicit Substance

By Mohammed Kaka Misau, Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state on Thursday launched War Against Drug Abuse in Bauchi with a call on all stakeholders to rally round the campaign in order to have a free drug abuse in the state.

The Governor, while performing the official launching ceremony of the war during a stakeholders’ meeting at the state Command of the agency, described drug abuse as a worrisome development in every society.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Security matters, Retired General Marcus Yake, the Governor expressed his administration’s resolve to support NDLEA to succeed in the fight against the menace of drug abuse in the state.

Bala who described drug abuse as one of the main causes of social vices in the society said, “Because anybody involved in drugs, the next tendency is for such people to commit evil acts and that’s why we are having insecurity today in our society”.

He commended the Agency for organizing the stakeholders’ meeting, describing it as a good step towards fighting drug abuse in the country, adding that the task is everybody’s business.

“This interactive session is very good because it has accorded all the stakeholders the opportunity to make necessary contributions towards the fight against the menace, though NDLEA is the leader in the fight against drug abuse”, Bala noted.

The Governor, who maintained that the fight against the menace of drug abuse has to be a holistic approach, noted that the situation has to be dealt with right from the root.

“The fight can be achieved when those that either farm the drugs or the main dealers and not the consumers only are arrested and prosecuted, that is fighting the menace from the roots”, he said.

He called for synergy among various agencies in the fight against drug peddlers in terms of detecting, identifying, reporting, prosecuting and punishing offenders.

On his part, the Commandant of the Agency in Bauchi state, Mr. Segun Oke while presenting his welcoming address, said that the stakeholders meeting was aimed at getting meaningful inputs from stakeholders in the state that will help the agency in securing the society from the activities of drug peddlers.

Oke said, apart from meeting with stakeholders, the agency also used the avenue to launch the War Against Drug Abuse in the state as well as decorate some of its staff who have been promoted with their new ranks.

The Commandant, who also displayed assorted illicit substances seized in the state, said that the agency is not giving any breathing space for drug abuse.

He said that the operation of the agency cut across roads, most especially entry into Bauchi and its exit as well as black spots where people go there to abuse drugs.

“In the cause of our operations, we have arrested drugs, popular drugs like Canabis, Tramadol, Coffmixtures with Codeine and recently we have begun to see indications that Cocaine, Metavitamin are coming into Bauchi state”, he said.

The Commandant said that the agency is raising alarm for families, stakeholders, Churches, Mosques to be able to sensitize members of the society to be aware of what is going on in the state.

Our Correspondent reports that the stakeholders’ meeting had in attendance, the government, traditional leaders, Parastatals, other Security agencies, amongst others where contributions and suggestions were made on how to succeed in the fight against drug abuse.