The Imo State government and the northern community in the state have warned drug peddlers and abusers to desist from such acts forthwith or be ready to face sanctions.
Special adviser to Governor Hope Uzodinma on Narcotics and Illicit Drugs Monitoring, Chief Ezechukwu Obonna read the riot act alongside the Sarkin Hausa of Imo, Alhaji Auwal Baba-Sulaiman, in Owerri, on Saturday.
Obonna, who thanked the northern community for “agreeing to a healthy collaboration”, expressed confidence that the community’s leadership would provide the necessary support to enable government address the menace of drug abuse.
He said that available statistics indicate that most of those engaged in crime do so under the influence of drugs.
According to him, the fight against drug abuse was part of a broader effort by the Governor Uzodinma-led government to tackle insecurity through a preventive approach.
On his part, Baba-Sulaiman said that the community, under his watch, would firmly support all healthy initiatives of the state government, including the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
He directed his palace officials to ensure that the warning message is passed to all settlements of the northern community in Imo.
He called for more sensitisation of members of the community so as not to give any room for ignorance.
