The chairman and chief executive officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier – General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has called for a resolute and united international front to dismantle the criminal drug networks that pose a threat to global peace and stability.
Marwa made the appeal during the 80th United Nations General Assembly Plenary Session of the Third Committee in New York. He said, “The world can no longer be held hostage by the illicit drug trade.”
He noted that the theme of the session rightly acknowledges the drug problem as a multidimensional global challenge requiring coordinated and collective action.
Marwa outlined the strategic, evidence-based interventions Nigeria is currently deploying to curb the menace such as the International Cooperation and Intelligence Sharing which Nigeria prioritises to signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with several countries including UNODC, EU, DEA, INL, NCA, BKA and others.
These collaborations have resulted in major seizures, arrests of high-profile traffickers, and successful prosecutions, all conducted with full regard for human rights.
Also, the Supply and Demand Reduction Strategies (SDRS) necessitated the aspect of money laundering that is linked to drug proceeds have been strengthened; as well as the Alternative Development Programme (ADP) being implemented to replace illicit cannabis cultivation (the most commonly abused drug in Nigeria) with legitimate livelihoods, thereby promoting food security and environmental protection and War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).
The initiative continues to mobilise all sectors of society in a nationwide sensitisation campaign to reinforce collective responsibility.
Others are the treatment and social justice on which the country has expanded care and support for individuals affected by drug use through treatment in rehabilitation centres, opioid substitution therapy, and safer needle exchange programmes.
In advancing social justice, Nigeria operates a 24/7 toll-free drug call centre, staffed by professionals who offer counseling in major Nigerian languages and help to bridge the treatment gap and combat stigma.
