NDLEA, NSCDC commandant to join effort to tackle increase in drug abuse in Rivers
Eric Olusesan/Port Harcourt
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC Rivers State Commandant, Basil Igwebueze has condemned the ravaging increase in drugs and substance abuse amongst the youths.
He made this known while receiving the Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Rivers Command Ahmed Mamuda at the NSCDC State Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Commandant Basil noted that research has shown that most heinous crimes are committed after inducement of drugs and substance abuse; and the only way to rid the nation of criminalities and crime rate is to unanimously condemn such denigrating act beginning from the cradle to adulthood.
The NSCDC Commandant said some children were abused through the environment they found themselves and the negative exposure they had has impacted their lives negatively. He opined that the fight against the use of prohibited drugs should be a collective responsibility to actualize a crime free society.
” It highly disturbing that drug abuse has now eaten deep into the fabrics of our Society, it has destroyed our youths especially and for us to protect the tomorrow which our youth are going to be leaders we need to be in unity towards fighting the course”.
“The campaign against drugs and substance abuse should not be done only in schools and neighborhood, the fighters of this crime which includes all Security personnel are also not excluded; officers and men on duty must see the need to firmly abhor the intake of drugs and inducers while on duty as well”.
” I also want to state unequivocally that the issue of espirit-de-corps does not apply when a crime is being committed, you will be made to face the wrath of the law even as an officer if you are caught dealing in or consuming narcotics”.
Earlier, the Rivers NDLEA Commander who led a team of Senior Management Officers on the Courtesy visit hinted that a lot of Campaign is ongoing in various Communities across the State.
He further affirmed that in curtailing sales and intake of illicit drugs and prohibited substances the NDLEA has been organizing reorientation and awareness program across communities, churches, mosques and schools and this informed the need for NDLEA, NSCDC and other security agencies to partner and strengthen ties in order to fight to stand still the spate of drug abuse across board.
” My visit today is premised on the need to collaborate with your agency so that we can join hands together to rid Rivers State from the hand of criminal minded persons and one of the ways to do this is to vehemently combat the circulation and intakes of illicit drugs in our environment. On behalf of the entire NDLEA Command I want to promise that as you have given your full support we would organize a training session for the officers to be fully equipped with necessary skills on how to identify prohibited drugs, effects of intake, arrests and rehabilitation methods for victims”.
In the highpoint of the courtesy visit there were presentation of materials and souvenir graced with group photographs.