The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) has advised parents to carry out drug test for intending couples as a way of checking drug intake and abuse.
Marwa gave the admonition on Friday during a meeting with critical stakeholders in Lokoja, Kogi state capital, during his familiarization tour of the NDLEA Kogi Command.
He said the process to reducing drug intake and abuse starts and rest with the family unit, called on parents to live by example.
He warned parents to constantly monitor the activities of their wards and children and advised religious bodies to intensify their preaching and counseling at their adherents against indulging in the illicit drugs which has become a national tragedy.
He lamented at the high rate of illicit drugs demand among Nigerians, attributing the incidence of insecurity across the country to illicit drugs consumption.
Marwa pointed out that banditry, insurgency, kidnappings and anti-social behaviours of the citizenry which is on the rise is due to high consumption of the psychotropic drugs.
The chairman urged all stakeholders to partner with the agency to fight the scourge which is impacting negatively on the social economic lives of the country .
He said the NDLEA under his watch is determined to reduce its production, distribution and consumption of the drugs to its barest minimum.
According to him the NDLEA is working assiduously to prevent people from having access to the drugs by confiscating and destroying the illicit drugs as he is committed to smashing drugs supply chains.
He described the drug demand consumption level of the country as alarming, insisting that all stakeholders have critical roles to play in bringing down the demand.
The NDLEA Chairman advise parents on the need to regularly carry out drug test for intending couples as a way of checking drug intake and abuse.
Earlier, the Kogi State Commander of NDLEA, Alfred Adewumi, commended the chairman for successfully repositioning the NDLEA which has turned the heat on the saboteurs with high quantum of seizures and arrests.
He said the state command is not resting on her oars in the fight against illicit drugs across the Kogi state.
Stakeholders at the meeting including the persons living with disabilities, NCWS, NURTW, and others at the meeting promised their resolve to work with the NDLEA to reduce drastically the incidences of drugs production, distribution and consumption.
