Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has advocated a multi-faceted approach with intelligence-driven strategies in combating the menace of drug abuse in Nigeria.
Governor Otti was speaking on Thursday 16th January, when he received in audience, a delegation of the new State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the State, Nnadi Wilfred. He noted the evolving nature of drug menace and its impacts on criminal activities.
The Governor also underscored the need for collaborative efforts between Government and Security Agencies in combating all forms of crime and drug-related offenses, assuring that the State Government would give the needed support to fight all forms of criminality in the State.
According to him, the fight against drugs has metamorphosed into something a bit more difficult because the society is now dealing with a wide range of issues.
“When you look at crime and drug, you’ll see that they are closely related. You will find out that in a lot of cases, people who get involved in crime and criminality start with drugs.
“So, whether you are Army, Navy, DSS, we are all one. Anywhere we need to give support, you don’t even need to ask. You can count on Government to give you support so that we can rid this place of criminals”, Gov Otti stated.
Governor Otti, who renewed his administration’s commitment and support to Security Agencies in their efforts to ensure a safe and secured environment, recommended that the team meet with his Senior Special Assistant on Homeland Security to collaborate, identify, and eliminate possible hotspots in the State.
The Governor also emphasized the role of education in crime prevention and expressed optimism that with the free and compulsory education for school aged children in primary and secondary school, children vulnerable to drug abuse and criminality will reduce significantly.
Earlier, the State Commander, NDLEA, Nnadi Wilfred, said that he came on a familiarization visit, having resumed as the NDLEA Commander last December. He expressed his gratitude to Governor Otti and his wife, Mrs Priscilla Otti, for their passionate involvement in carrying out awareness campaigns against drug abuse as well as rehabilitation of illicit drug users.
While appreciating the inauguration of the State Drug Control Committee by Governor Alex Otti which is chaired by the First Lady, Wilfred said that it is a significant step towards tackling the issue at the grassroots level and pointed out that the committee aligns with the national drug control master plan, which mandates every state to establish such structures to effectively address drug-related challenges. He assured the Governor of his readiness to combat all forms of drug abuse in Abia State.
