The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have joined forces to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in communities nationwide.
A statement from the NDLEA spokesperson on Saturday detailed the agreements made during a meeting where the National President of ALGON, Hon. Aminu Muazu Maifata, led a delegation of local government chairmen to visit NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
In his address, Marwa emphasized the critical role of local governments in sensitizing grassroots communities about the dangers of drug abuse and providing support to those struggling with addiction. He noted, “We are particularly happy that you’re here to identify with our work and partner with us because you are the closest tier of government to the people, especially at the grassroots and our communities where the majority of Nigerians reside. The drug scourge is in virtually all our communities, and we need your partnership to extend our efforts in drug demand and supply reduction to remote areas.”
Marwa highlighted the importance of this partnership as the NDLEA deploys personnel to local government areas to establish a presence in rural communities. “We can support you to curb the scourge of drug abuse and illicit drug dealing, which fuel crimes in those areas,” he added.
He urged ALGON leaders to mobilize their members to form local government drug control committees and War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) committees. These committees, similar to those at the national and state levels, should include traditional rulers, community gatekeepers, opinion and religious leaders, and market and women’s groups. These committees will work with NDLEA commands to coordinate efforts against drug-related issues in communities.
Marwa also stressed the importance of advocacy and drug testing in their strategy. To facilitate this, the NDLEA has produced easy-to-use drug test kits for early detection and treatment. “These kits are intended to make drug tests more accessible in homes and offices, thereby helping to deter drug use and identify those needing help,” he said.
ALGON National President Maifata expressed concern over the adverse effects of drug abuse on health, business, and security in grassroots communities. He affirmed ALGON’s commitment to collaborating with the NDLEA to address this issue. “We appreciate the enormous work this agency is doing under your leadership, and that is why we have come to partner with you so that we can collectively stamp out the drug abuse problem from our communities,” Maifata stated.
He assured that ALGON would establish necessary structures to facilitate the deployment of NDLEA personnel to local government areas.
Other ALGON leaders present at the meeting included Mr. Itiako Ikpokpo, Director General; Hon. Bala Chamo, National Publicity Secretary; Hon. Aminu Jairo Hassan, National Welfare Officer; Hon. Adamu Bukar, National Auditor; and Hon. Shehu Jega, Chief of Staff to the National President.
