The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed that about 14.2 million Nigerians consumed illicit drugs in 2018.
Chairman of the agency, Col. Mohammad Abdallah (rtd), who spoke on the sidelines of sent forth ceremony organised for the retiring commander of Kwara state command, Ona Ogilegwe.
Making reference to United Nations statistics, the NDLEA boss said: “The recent United Nations drugs survey put it that 14.2 million Nigerians consumed illicit drugs in 2018. This is higher than the global statistics.”
“What it means is that every Okada rider that you see working from 6am to 10pm is on something. The cultists, the kidnappers that pitch tent in the bush are on drugs.”
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He explained that, by fighting drugs, the government would have fought 50 per cent of criminality in Nigeria.”
“What we are asking government to do is to give us the materials, men and money- the three Ms. And of course equipment.
“It is better to soak the presence of NDLEA men in all the corners of the country. What I am saying that the presence of NDLEA cannot be felt in every nook and cranny of Nigeria because we are short of men.
“Adequate equipment is where the world is gravitating. Equipment can solve a lot of problems without physically being there. I was opportune to see in China.
“If you are at the police headquarters in China you will see all that is happening in the cities of Bejin one after the other. Even if government cannot do that for us, it should give us the minimum to police the borders, airports and seaports. Because these are where the drugs go in and out,” he added.