17th January, 2013
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Nigeria’s Kwara state has classified the state as a hot spot for illicit drugs trafficking.
The state Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Segun Oke, made this known while addressing journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday.
Oke said that because of the strategic location of Kwara and the heavy vehicular traffic coming and going out of the state “it is a hot spot for trafficking.”
According to him, Kwara is in the middle of the country, hence traffic can move from anywhere to and from the state.
“Kwara is hot spot for trafficking because of the vehicular movement from different state to and from the state,” Oke said.
Oke said the agency had not determined how hot the state was in terms of cultivation of cannabis and other illicit drugs.
He appealed to stakeholders to support the agency in its quest to fight illicit drug use in the state, adding that the agency would soon embark on intensive public awareness campaign.
The commander said the agency would tackle the supply chain with a view of reducing the drug demand and supply in the state.
He said the agency patrolled the state capital daily with the intention of raiding any identified drug joints.
OKe told newsmen that NDLEA had established counselling and rehabilitation centre for the treatment of drug dependant persons in the state.
He called on parents and guardians to bring their children and wards who might need such counselling and rehabilitation to the centre.
He called for the cooperation of everybody to rid Kwara of illicit drugs, adding that the drug war was a collective responsibility of everybody.