National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA says about fifteen million Nigerians engaged in drugs abuse.
The Chairman and Chief Executive of the Agency, Retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, made this known while defending the 2023 budget before the House of Representatives Committee on Narcotics.
Brigadier General Buba Marwa rtd., said Nigeria has a drugs prevalence of 14.4 percent, which according to him, was equal to the population of Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Gambia and Liberia.
The NDLEA Chairman explained that the agency has made positive difference in tackling both drugs trafficking and abuse in Nigeria , with over twenty crystal meth laboratories dismantled across the country.
He appealed to Nigerians to assist the agency by reporting the establishment of such laboratories or factories in their areas, to ensure success in the fight against crimes as a result of drug abuse.
The Chairman, House Committee on Narcotics Mr Francis Agbo, cofirmed that the house would support NDLEA through the amendment of acts establishing its operations, while lobbying for more budgetary allocation to the agency.
Mr Agbo maintained that the house would also ensure that the agency is adequately equiped through the provision of digital scanners, sniffer dogs, weapons and staff to carry out their mandate effectively.
COV : TSIBIRI