From Khadijah Aliyu, Kano
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Kano command, says it has arrested 286 persons and secured 78 convictions on drug related cases from July 2020 to July 2021.
State commander of the NDLEA, Alhaji Isah Likita Mohammed stated this while briefing newsmen as part of activities to mark International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2021.
According to him,the day was set aside by the United Nations for sober reflection on the devastating effects of illicit drugs on the health and well being of society as well as to enlighten the populace on alternative lifestyles while seeking for cooperation towards resistance to drug abuse and trafficking.
The Commander explained that, the agency had also confiscated over eight hundred kilograms of cannabis sativa, heroin, cocaine and other harmful substances within the period under review.
He pointed out that,three cannabis sativa farms were discovered in Dambatta, Ungoggo and Gwarzo local government areas.
” From Gwarzo farm 375 plants were uprooted, 111 removed from Dambatta farm while 87 were uprooted from the Ungoggo farm. This development is no doubt a cause for concern, especially if viewed against the backdrop of the spread of the farms across the state”
Alhaji Isah Likita decried over lack of adequate space to accommodate large number of people for rehabilitation as the non completion of the rehabilitation center at the NDLEA state command had limited the number of drug dependent persons admitted to twenty eight in each batch.
The Commander explained that the agency d had rehabilitated 50 males and 1 female,while 915 persons were counselled under the drug demand reduction brief intervention from July 2020 to July 2021.
“At present we are only able to take in only twenty eight male clients at a time.Due to the special needs of female clients we are at present not able to admit them,as the rehabilitation center is still awaiting completion”
He described kano state as the only state in the country that has made it mandatory for all state intending appointees to under go drug test before appointment.
Alhaji Isah charged all and sundry to work closely with the national drug law enforcement agency in bringing an end to the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
The 2021 international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking themed: “SHARE FACTS ABOUT DRUGS SAVE LIVES” will be marked in kano with a public lecture on the impacts and effects of drug abuse on women and girl child as well as unveiling of the Women anti drug ambassadors project by the first lady of Kano state, Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.