Chairman/chief executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (Rtd) has said that drug trafficking and related crimes like money laundering shall be drastically reduced through strict law enforcement and provision of operational resources.
He gave the assurance while unveiling his five point agenda in addressing the problem of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the country. Top on his priority list is to strengthen NDLEA Act, promote respect for the rule of law, improve staff welfare and provide logistic support. Others are improving local and international collaboration as well as sustaining an aggressive anti-drug enlightenment campaign.
Abdallah noted that NDLEA will take drastic measures in providing infrastructural framework needed to prosecute the fight against drug trafficking organizations. “Let me assure you that no drug culprit shall go unpunished. We shall take the bull by the horn and lead this all important campaign with every sense of commitment and triumph. The Agency needs drastic measures to address the infrastructural deficit and provide operational resources. We shall strengthen the NDLEA Act and promote respect for the rule of law. Staff welfare shall be improved and logistic support provided for effective drug control” he stated.
The NDLEA boss added that in compliance with international conventions on narcotic drugs, the NDLEA will ensure that narcotics are only made available for medical and scientific use. In his words, “the Agency will ensure that narcotic drugs are not diverted for illegal use apart from legitimate medical and scientific purposes. Deliberate and pragmatic efforts shall be made to enhance professional ethics and operate zero tolerance for corruption. Local and international partnership shall be strengthened and aggressive anti-drug enlightenment campaigns initiated and sustained”.
“Drug trafficking is a transnational organized crime that has no respect for race, sex and age. Drug cartels smuggle cocaine from producer countries in South America and heroin from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Nigeria and West African countries before taking the drugs to consumer nations in Europe, Asia and United States of America. This criminal act has led to the recruitment of youths as drug couriers. Besides distorting the economy, illicit drug proceeds can also be diverted into terrorist financing. These are reasons why drug control must remain a top priority” Abdallah stated.
