Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has charged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse and illicit drugs trafficking in the country.
Oborevwori gave the charge while playing host to the NDLEA’s Assistant Commandant General (Narcotics) and Director of Administration and Establishment, Alhaji Hamisu Lawal, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Asaba.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that the governor noted that the charge had become necessary as it would go a long way in helping to mitigate the worrisome trend of substance and illicit drugs abuse in the country.
He listed the factors responsible for substance and illicit drugs abuse to include poor socio-economic background, bad parenting, family problems, poor academic performance and social pressure.
According to him, substance abuse and the use of illicit drugs affect the youths, especially those in secondary and tertiary institutions, which he said makes them to be unruly and destructive.
Oborevwori, who condemned the recent ugly incident involving the NDLEA personnel, which led to the death of a child in Okpanam area of the state capital, noted that the issue of substance abuse and illicit drugs was on the increase in the contemporary Nigerian society.
The governor, therefore, reiterated his advocacy for a concerted effort to stem down the unfortunate scenario, even as he appealed to the agency to sustain its effort aimed at ensuring that Nigeria becomes a substance abuse and illicit drugs-free nation.
Earlier, Lawal, who was accompanied by the Delta State Commandant of the agency, Barr. Abubakar Wada, told the governor that they were in his office on a courtesy visit.
Lawal, who disclosed that the unfortunate incident that took place in Okpanam area of the state was not intentional, added that the agency was very grateful to the state government for its prompt intervention on the issue.
While applauding what he described as a ‘responsible leadership’ in the state, the NDLEA boss reaffirmed the agency’s commitment towards nipping the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country in the bud.
