House Asks Tinubu to Declare State of Emergency on Drug Abuse
· Says failure to curb menace will destroy Nigeria
· US assures NDLEA of more support, collaboration on fight against illicit drugs
Michael Olugbode and Udora Orizu in Abuja
The House of Representatives has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on drug abuse in the country.
The request by the lawmakers came just as the United States government has assured the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of more support and collaboration in order to enhance its capabilities to fight substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
The lawmakers urged the federal government to develop preventive strategies such as creating a general as well as a demographically-targeted enlightening campaign against drug abuse and its consequences and to direct the National Orientation Agency to device enlightenment campaign programme against drug abuse in the country.
They further urged the federal government to increase the budgetary allocation to the NDLEA and ensure that the agency gets its funding directly from the presidency as was the case when it was set up in 1989.
The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Francis Agbo at plenary yesterday.
Moving the motion, Agbo noted that there was an organic correlation between the level of narcotic drug abuse and the frequency and severity of crimes in every society, including Nigeria.
He also noted that it was not surprising that those arrested for various crimes were drugs addicts and traffickers.
He lamented that illicit drug addiction had deeply permeated the Nigerian society so much so that young people of 15 years old and below were now heavy narcotic drugs.
He added: “Regrets that the upsurge in illicit drug abuse has created an underground economy where crimes flourish as opportunity criminals now battle for turf and proceeds while at the same time, exploiting and corrupting the legitimate business environment of the country.
“This is antithetical to the corporate image of Nigeria as no country wants its economy to be influenced by the drug barons.
“So far, governments at all levels, and particularly the federal government has continued to pay lip service to the war against illicit drug abuse as NDLEA, the agency statutorily set up to wage war against the narcotic industry remains underfunded, understaffed and ill-equipped.
“It is against this background, that the NDLEA remains a toothless bulldog! The implication of this is that, while narcotic drug abuse progresses at a geometric progression, the war against it progresses at an arithmetic progression.”
He expressed concerns that the tragic phenomenon now affects all strata and demographic groups of our Nigeria society, hence the need for governments at all levels and the family unit work closely to combat this menace.
He warned that failure to destroy narcotic drug addiction as a country, it will destroy Nigeria.
Adopting the motion, the House directed all relevant federal government health institutions to develop new and improved treatments to help people with substance abuse disorders recover and achieve a normal life.
They also resolved to prevail on the federal government to establish functional rehabilitation centers which would have the financial and bureaucratic status of specialist hospitals with psychiatrists, psychologist, toxicologists, professional councilors and other experts to manage the hospitals.
The lawmakers would hold their valedictory session on Tuesday June 6, 2023.
Meanwhile, the US has assured the NDLEA of more support and collaboration in the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
The assurance was given by Dr. Mark Hove of the Africa and Middle East Office, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, US State Department, on Wednesday when he led another top official of the Bureau, Craig Nixon on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
This comes on the heels of a recent official letter by the Bureau announcing the US project grant to the NDLEA following requests by Marwa, during series of meetings both in Abuja and in Washington DC.
The letter had noted that the grant which would be implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Nigeria, covers forensic and chemical analysis capacity of the agency, intelligence-led investigations through diverse resources as well as legal books and an e-library for prosecution and other legal needs of the agency.
Speaking during the visit Mark Hove, commended the tremendous work done so far by the Marwa-led NDLEA while expressing satisfaction with the response of the agency to the threat of lethal illicit drugs such as Fentanyl, Captagon and Methamphetamine. He cited the recent seizure of over 2.1 tons of cocaine in Ikorodu area of Lagos by NDLEA as an incredible feat.
Hove said he came on the visit to discuss areas of more assistance for the agency and further collaboration.
He said with the NDLEA’s success story, the agency was well positioned to be a training centre for other anti-narcotic agencies in Africa.
In his response, Marwa expressed appreciation to the INL for its support to the agency and its readiness to do more. He said such would significantly enhance the investigative and prosecutorial capabilities of NDLEA especially coming at a time when the enabling Act of the agency has been amended by the National Assembly to further strengthen its capacity.
The NDLEA boss expressed happiness with the collaboration between NDLEA and the US Drug Enforcement Administration to combat trafficking of illicit drugs between the US and Nigeria as well as globally.
“There’s need for greater collaboration on Fentanyl and others,” Marwa added.
