Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its alternative strategies to combat illegal drug deals and protect the environment from the consequences.

National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated, yesterday, in Abuja that the alternative development plan, which was announced by NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Marwa (rtd), at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, was a good approach to counter the global drug problem and other drug-related crimes.

According to the non-governmental, non-religious and non-political organisation, the alternative plan will prevent and eliminate the illicit cultivation of plants containing narcotic and psychotropic substances through specifically designed rural development measures in the context of sustained national growth and sustainable development efforts.

HURIWA noted that alternative development has been successfully implemented in other countries, such as Afghanistan, where it has contributed to reducing opium poppy cultivation and improving the livelihoods of farmers.

It also commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting this initiative through his administration, which has shown commitment to addressing drug-related socio-economic issues and promoting evidence-based drug prevention, treatment, and care programmes.

Onwubiko urged Nigerians to support NDLEA’s alternative development plan, which, it said, was a right step in promoting a society free of drug abuse, stressing that it was one of the key components of a balanced and comprehensive drug control policy, and that it aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

HURIWA noted that it would continue to monitor the implementation of the alternative development plan and advocate its success, as well as for the respect of human rights and the rule of law in the fight against illicit drugs in Nigeria.