The Kaduna State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has destroyed about 12,366 kilograms of narcotics and exhibits confiscated.
The drugs, with street value of N133 million was destroyed by the state Command of the NDLEA and was witnessed by the state Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai and other stakeholders at Kufena village, in the outskirts of Zaria City.
Addressing the gathering at the public burning, National Chairman of the Agency, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade said the drugs which comprised of “cannabis sativa” known as Indian Hemp, constituted the bulk of 12,351.938kgs, Psychotropic substances 13.443kgs, cocaine 63 grams and Heroin 57 grams.
Ahmadu Giade stated that, apart from the cultivation of cannabis which the Agency, it has also discovered ten clandestine laboratories which have been used for the production of methamphetamine in the past five years.
According to Gaide, “the Agency’s Act mandates them to take measures for early destruction and disposal of narcotic drugs in the quest to have a drug-free and secure society in Nigeria and the World at large”.
“World Drug Report 2015 estimates that a total of two-hundred-and-forty-six million people, one-out-of-twenty people between the ages of fifteen and sixty-four years, used an illicit drug in 2013”.
The National Chairman therefore called for the support and collaboration of individuals, families, opinion leaders, groups and the media, in advancing the Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign as this would go a long way in complimenting the efforts of the NDLEA, while urging Governments at all levels, to support the Agency as peace and development could only take place in a society devoid of drug trafficking and abuse.
He advised parents to inculcate a high sense of discipline and good conduct in their children to shun drug trafficking, drug abuse and other vices as many children have dropped out of school on account of drugs while others are in prison custody.
Alhaji Gaide however commended the media for their support in educating the general public through the reporting of drug seizures and cases in the State, promising to continue to investigate suspected drug dealers in order to bring them to book.
The Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, in his speech said the Agency has done a good job in the State, the Country and outside the Country in fighting the scourge of drug related crimes which have helped to reduce the use by abusers, users and distributors, drastically.
Nasir el-Rufai however, promised to purchase one-hundred-and-seven vehicles which will be distributed to the security agencies in the State of which the NDLEA would be the biggest beneficiary of the gesture for the logistic support.
He also, stressed that he would continue to give the security agencies in the state, whatever support they needed to make the State safer, adding that as an individual and as Kaduna State Governor, the NDLEA would have his full support in any advocacy to ensure that the Agency maintains and sustains its unfailing efforts to the State and the Nation in general.
