Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), have stated that for Nigeria to defeat the twin evil of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, Nigerians must be united in the fight.
They both agreed on this when the NDLEA boss paid the governor a courtesy visit during his three-day working visit to the state, which ended yesterday.
Explaining his mission to the governor and members of his executive council, Marwa, who was accompanied by senior NDLEA officials, said it is to personally condole with the family of Mr. Fidelis Omhonrina over the unintended death of young Ivan and the injury on his brother, Eromosele, as a result of a bullet that strayed 600 metres away from the scene of an NDLEA encounter with some notorious drug dealers on July 13, in Asaba.
He further said that he is also in the state to assess the operational needs of the Delta State Command and Delta Ports Command of the agency with a view to mobilising officers and men of the two formations to go all out against drug cartels operating in the state.
He added that his third mission was to rally stakeholders’ support, as they are key to a successful fight against drug menace in the state with a 2018 prevalence rate of 18 per cent.
He said that with a projected rate of 40 per cent rise in drug abuse in Africa by 2030, all well meaning Nigerians and organisations must unite behind the anti-narcotics agency in its renewed efforts in drug supply and demand reduction.
While encouraging the governor to intensify his poverty alleviation programmes to address youth unemployment, a major trigger for substance abuse, Marwa asked for logistics support for the two commands in the state, setting up of drug control committees from state, to local government and community levels as well as provision of rehabilitation centres in each of the three senatorial zones of the state.
He commended the governor for his good works within a short time in office as well as his commitment to the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.
In his response, Oborevwori celebrated Marwa for always providing quality leadership and unflinching dedication to duty in all national assignments assigned to him.
According to him, “we know your antecedents as military governor in Borno and Lagos states. And under your leadership, NDLEA has recorded successes, going after drug cartels. This momentum must be sustained if we have to win the war against illicit drugs.”
The NDLEA had earlier, in a separate meeting with chairmen of local councils in the state, sought their support and collaboration, as the agency was preparing to deploy personnel to councils across the country beginning from the first quarter of 2024.
Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Chairman of Ughelli South Local Council, Dr. Koffi Richard, promised to give the agency full support.
In another meeting with the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien and other traditional rulers and chiefs, Marwa urged monarchs to set up drug control committees in their domains, asking for their partnership in the fight against illicit drugs.
