New Telegraph

NDLEA: Drug abuse, cause of 90 percent of criminality in Nigeria

* 14.3m Nigerians abuse drugs, says UNODC

 

Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), has disclosed that drug abuse and illicit trafficking were responsible for over 90 per cent of criminality in the country.

 

A study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2018 indicated that 14.4 percent or 14.3 million people aged 15 and 64 years, abuse drugs in Nigeria. This is very high compared to global annual prevalence of 5.6 percent.

 

Marwa, a former Military Administrator of Lagos State, who spoke at the Third Scientific Week and commemoration of the 2021 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, held at the weekend in Abuja. The event, which was organised by the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN), Abuja Branch, had as its theme: ‘Share Facts on Drugs, Save Lives’.

 

The NDLEA boss, who was represented by Mrs Chizoba Etuka, said the phenomenon of drug abuse has reached a worrisome level, stressing that it will require collective effort to combat the menace.

 

Marwa highlighted the dangers of drug abuse to include incapacitation of workforce in organisations, ruining of communities and societies, disintegration of families among others.

 

He lamented that it has also given rise to all types of crimes such as insurgency, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, rape and violent extremism.

Read Previous

It’s Abia North’s turn to produce next gov – Group

Read Next

CJN to swear in 18 Court of Appeal Judges Monday

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *