A pro-democracy group, Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), has collaborated with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency to hold a road walk sensitisation against the use of hard drugs in an Abuja community, Abattoir.
The sensitisation came on the heels of an investigation carried out by NACAT where the group discovered that an abattoir located close to an animal market in the Karu axis of Abuja by the boundary between the FCT and Nassarwa State is a major hub for the sale of illicit drugs like Crack, Codeine, Molly, Tramadol, Refnol, Rochi, Arizona, Loud (Canadian and Ghanaian loud).
The road walk sensitisation which started at ECWA Junction in Karu, saw the group in company of the personnel of the Abuja command of the NDLEA, walk through the abattoir and ended at Abacha road, Karu.
The group walked through the area while sensitizing the residents against the use of hard drugs with various banners and placards that read “Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Drugs,” “Spot the sign, break the chain,” “Your Potential is Limitless Without Drugs,” “Love Yourself: Break Free from Substance Abuse,” “Say no to drug trafficking,” among others.
In his address, NACAT operational manager, Stanley Ugagbe, who cited section 11, Part II of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act which prohibits anyone without any lawful authority from importing, manufacturing, producing, processing, planting, or growing, drugs like cocaine, LSD, heroin, or any form of illegal drugs; warned the residents of the area against the use of hard drags.
Ugagbe said “acting upon a scoop, we conducted a clandestine investigation and uncovered how hard drugs are sold in broad day light in this area and that is why, as a group that is committed to the fight against drug trafficking, we are here today to sensitize the people against the gross implications of hard drugs”.
NDLEA FCT command’s officer in charge of sensitization, Nduka Augustine, lauded NACAT for taking this initiative to come and talk to residents from old Karu ECWA Church junction to Abacha road sensitizing them against the dangers of getting involved in drug use, drug trafficking and drug peddling.
He said the chairman and chief executive officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa has graciously said “the war against illicit drug use is not something the government can do alone”.
A suspected drug dealer, identified as Musa, said the drugs are mainly bought in bulk from Delta State, Benin City in Edo State and Ibadan.
He noted that they are hidden in food items like bags of garri, rice, cattle, etc., and transported to Abuja.
