By: Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
Commandant Nigeria Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, Borno state Command Josep Icha has recorded huge success since he assumed office in July 2017 to date .
The commander disclosed this during an exclusive interview to mark the International Day against Drug Addict with Dandal Kura Reporter Babagana Bukar Wakil at the command head quarters in Maiduguri on Monday.
Joseph recalled that the United Nations has set aside 26th of June, every year as International Day against Drugs Abuse. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime assists Governments and other stakeholders to roll back threats caused by drugs, transnational organized crime and terrorism.
The NDLEA Commander said that the theme for the 2020 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Traficking is “Better Knowledge for Better Care”. Adding that the day emphasizes the need to improve the understanding of the world drug problem and how in turn, better knowledge will foster greater international cooperation for countering its impact on health, governance and security.
Mr Joseph revealed that command under his leadership seized 10.765 tons of drugs assorted worth of one Billion Naira which comprises a lot of assorted hard drugs such Cannabis, Heroine, Cocaine, Tramadol, Meterphitamine, Among others.
Also revealed that the command has also made the arrest of 388 people for deferent drug related offences out of which 379 are Mele and 9 are female. Adding NDLEA Borno command has successfully counseled 255 people through brief council intervention program. Stressing that they have admitted and counseled 21 persons at the very dilapidated command’s facilities and discharged twelve while three others are still undergoing counseling.
Josepha Icha emphasized that they have been doing sensitization activities at various IDPs camp on how they can make them understand a problem of drug abuse, alternative option to disengage them. Adding that the IDPs might have intensive pressure due what the insurgent have sustained to them .Adding that NDLEA give them an opportunity to interact with its personnel so they can help them fine a good way to overcome pressure than directly engage into the unnecessarily drugs.
During Corona virus there was a general luck down people have use the lockdown opportunity to transport a lot of hard drugs instead of food items and we have intercepted quite a number at Njimtilo points they wrap it and put it inside a maize, we also intercepted in Biu and other places.
What happen during corona lock down the drugs dealer who have already know their customers moving around and distributed it to their customers and people abuse drug at their homes.
The command also discovered that the environment of the ZOO being use by some people to smoke Indian hemp, cigarette among others .And they have stated working on that, even Saturday they have went there and arrested the number of people to restore sanity in the place so that families can visit the zoo without fear of being exposing their children to exploitation of drugs.
The command have sealed some houses and mansions and cars belong to some suspected drugs barons which value to over one hundred of fifty million in Maiduguri, the matter is in the court and they hope that it would be handed over to the government.
Joseph Ichad said that some of the people taking hard drugs because of luck; they think this is the only way to get control of their feeling, while others are children of very rich and wealthy family, they use to organize parties. The drugs is one of the major factors that influences criminalities such as rape, robberies, even the insurgency.
He then call on the public and law enforcement agencies to intensify effort in fighting drug trafficking. Adding that army gives NDLEA backup and other logistics supports whenever they need their supports during an operations.
The commander NDLEA Joseph Ica also said have arrested many personnel of law enforcement agencies for abusing drugs and handed them over to their various agencies and commands and there were thoroughly investigated by their command and eventually dismissed or others were punished.
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