NDLEA and Plateau strengthen cooperation in fight against drugs

Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang and the Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) have agreed to strengthen collaboration between the state government and the NDLEA to tackle the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trade in the state.

In their remarks on Thursday, March 15, they expressed their readiness for the renewed partnership.^and August 2024, when Governor Mutfwang Marwa paid a courtesy visit to the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja.

Marwa commended the governor for his commitment to ensuring peace, security of lives and property in the Plateau. He also noted that a total of 6,975.6 kilograms of illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and opioids have been seized in the state in the last two years. This has led to the arrest of 1,720 suspects and conviction of 156 suspects. The case against others is still ongoing.

To further strengthen the agency’s efforts to reduce drug demand, Marwa urged the governor to support a standard drug rehabilitation center, activate drug control committees at the state, local and community levels, and implement drug testing policies in schools, shelters and communities across the state.

Governor Mutfwang earlier commended Marwa’s leadership qualities in the turnaround and performance of NDLEA since he assumed the chairmanship of the agency in 2021. “We have been closely monitoring your performance and we can say that since you assumed office, NDLEA has been discharging its duties with more vigour and determination. And I know that many people who profit from the trade of illicit drugs have not found it easy since you assumed office,” he stated.

On partnership, the governor said: “For us in Plateau, we have come because we are genuinely concerned about the impact of drug abuse and trafficking in illicit drugs in our state and we want to seek better ways of working together. We continue to look for ways and means to reduce the impact of drug abuse in our society. And one thing that is very important, while we have been paying a lot of attention to the demand side, to the user, we need to look again at the supply side.

“On our side as a state, we are prepared to work more with you and make sure that we keep this threat to the absolute minimum. And so we have come today to rekindle that cooperation. So far, we have enjoyed the cooperation of your staff in our state and we want to continue to do more, share information, share intelligence and see how we can work together.”

Woman Babafemi

Director, Media & Law

NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja

Thursday, August 15, 2024