Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says the agency’s biggest challenge on its fight against Illicit drugs in Enugu was the growing intake of methamphetamine – Mkpuru-mmiri.
The Enugu State Commander, Mr Abel Wadahi, disclosed this at the commemoration of the 2024 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with the theme, “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention.”
The event which held at the Enugu State High Court Auditorium on Wednesday was organised by the NDLEA in partnership with David Folarinmi Foundation.
Addressing newsmen, the commander said the rate at which youths and underage children between 10 years and 13 years consumed the substance popularly known as “Mkpuru-mmiri” was worrisome.
He said the agency would intensify its campaign against it in the rural communities as they were currently sensitising students in schools on weekly basis against the consumption of harmful substances.
“This is my second time of working in Enugu, I can tell you that mkpurumiri is the biggest problem we have in Enugu,” he said.
Reading his address earlier, Wadahi disclosed that the command had put in place strategies to continue to arrest drug traffickers as well as seize all illicit drugs being peddled in and through Enugu State.
According to him, the command have seized 1.874 tonnes of various drugs which include Cocaine, Cannabis sativa and Methamphetamine.
“A total of 51 suspects were prosecuted and 85 cases are pending in court.
“Apart from convictions, assets of convicts used as instrumentality of crime or the proceeds derived from drug trafficking were forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Within the period under review, the Command had counseled, treated and rehabilitated 122 clients, including 52 brief interventions,” he said.
He decried the UN Office on Drugs and Crime 2018 Drug Use Survey that showed that 15 million Nigerians abuse drugs, stating that it was three times the global average.
“This is unacceptable and considering the foregoing data and projections, it has become even more critical for Nigeria to invest heavily in drug use preventive measures.
“I hope it will not be an exaggeration to describe this as a national emergency,” he said.
Declaring the event open, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State, said the state was working hard to combat the devastating issues of drug abuse and illicit trafficking through multi-sectoral approach.
Mbah, represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Emmanuel Obi, said the drug consumption in the state was worrisome and expressed the willingness to combat it.
According to him, the destructive grip of drugs, transcends borders and demographics, tears someone apart, shatters lives and weakens the very fabric of communities.
“Human lives are immeasurable and economic impact is undeniable. It bothers our healthcare system, drains resources and undermines public safety.”
In a remark, the Chairman of the event, Igwe C.M Nevobasi, the Ezeani III of Agunese Mmaku Kingdom, represented by one of his cabinet members, Chief Frederick Ngene, while decrying the rate of drug abuse in Nigeria, urged governments to invest more on youth development.
He commended NDLEA for the celebration, pledging that he and other leaders in his domain would continue to sensitise youths in the area.
Tasking students who attended the event on Drug Abuse and its Effects, the founder of David Folarinmi Foundation, David Folarinmi, said that drug abuse and Illicit trafficking could lead to addiction and death.
