The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kogi State is collaborating with the Kogi State House of Assembly to enlighten the people of the State about the dangers of drug abuse and other drug – related menace in the society.
The NDLEA Commander in the State, Umar Mustapha Yahuza stated this during a working visit to the Assembly on Wednesday in Lokoja.
This is contained in a press statement signed and made available to the media by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Yabagi Mohammed.
The Commander said Kogi State is very strategic to the agency’s fight against drug abuse in view of the geographical location of the state and the findings by the NDLEA following a painstaking research.
He noted that his agency found out that there is a high prevalence of drug and substance abuse which needs to be mitigated because of the tendency to endanger the society at large.
Commander Yahuza, who praised the State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for his commitment towards fight the mance, said the governor deserved accolades for accepting to come with a rehabilitation center for victims of drugs in the State.
While urging other leaders to take a cue from the commitment shown by Governor Ododo, the Commander also praised the current lawmakers in the State for their warm reception and show of commitment towards assisting the NDLEA to end the prevalence of illicit drugs in parts of the State.
While welcoming the Commander to the Assembly, the Speaker, Rt Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf praised the NDLEA for its gallantry and commitment towards sanitizing the society of illicit drugs.
He noted that the dangers of such drugs cannot be overemphasized, stressing that the problem keeps growing by the day, despite the obvious dangers inherent in the consumption of such harmful substances.
The Speaker noted that as a lawmaking body, the Assembly is ready to collaborate with the agency and come up with laws that would assist the NDLEA to do its job more effectively and thanked the Commander for his commitment towards mitigating the problem.
Highlights of the event include the presentation of a drug test kit and decoration of the Speaker by the NDLEA boss in the state as one of the major stakeholders in the agency’s fight against drugs.
