Enugu pledges to partner with NDLEA to combat illicit drug, terror

The Enugu State Government has pledged to partner with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in its bid to rid the state of illicit drugs.

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi made the pledge in Enugu on Wednesday in a message to a book presentation by the NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Anthony Ohanyere.

Ugwuanyi, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Gabriel Ajah, noted that many youths engaged in crime due to abuse of illicit drugs.

While commending the commander for the book entitled ‘Terrorism and Illicit Drugs in Nigeria-My perspective,’ the governor said that the state would support the agency with available resources to fight drug abuse.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Anglican Archbishop of Enugu Episcopal Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, urged the governments to create jobs for the youth to reduce crime in the country.

Chukwuma noted that most terrorists, mad men and kidnappers were products of illicit drugs, stressing that it was time the government provided employment to reduce such havoc in the country.

He described the book as a must read for the youth, adding that the church would assist in recommending the book for its congregation.

Reviewing the book, a professor of anatomy and neurology at the Enugu State University College of Medicine, Prof. Chike Anibeze, said that it captured the evils of terrorism in the country.

“The book, Terrorism and Illicit Drug in Nigeria captured the twin evil of terrorism in the country and the bedeviling consequences of this malady on the Nigerian nation.

“In what may appear as a two-part work in the content, chapter one to eight traced the issue of light arms proliferation and security issues while chapters nine to 17 addressed illicit drugs and their abuse.

“To give a panacea for combating this malady, the author concludes by giving panoramic suggestions for the control and prevention of terrorism and illicit drugs in the country,’’ he said.

Earlier in his address, the author, Ohanyere said that terrorism and illicit drugs had done a lot of harm to the country.

“A young boy loses his limb and half of his face; a woman loses all of her male relatives in one attack…

“A little girl witnesses the murder of her brother and other relatives while other young girls are taken into captive and turned to sex slavery… these are works of illicit drug,’’ he said.

The commander said he was motivated to write the book as his contribution to fight terrorism and ensure adequate security in the country.