NDLEA, ALGON Collaborate On Drug War, To Establish WADA Committees In LGs, Communities.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have agreed to collaborate to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in communities across the country.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the anti-narcotics agency’s spokesman, this was one of the agreements reached during a meeting at the National President of ALGON, Hon. Aminu Muazu Maifata, led other leaders of the umbrella body for all local government chairmen in the country on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Addressing the ALGON leaders, Marwa stated that the NDLEA is ready to collaborate with the council chairmen to ensure that people at the grassroots are well-informed about the dangers of abusing illicit drugs, as well as to provide assistance to those who are already involved in the unhealthy habit.

He told them, “We are especially pleased that you have come to identify with our work and collaborate with us because you are the closest tier of government to the people, particularly the grassroots and communities where the majority of Nigerians live. This is especially true because the drug scourge affects almost all of our communities; no community in the country is immune, and as a result, we need your help to cascade all of our efforts in terms of drug demand reduction and even supply reduction down to the most remote communities.

“This partnership is also significant because it comes at a time when we are deploying personnel to local government areas to establish a physical presence in rural communities so that we can assist you in combating the scourge of drug abuse and illicit drug dealing, which fuels crime and criminality in those areas.”

He encouraged ALGON leaders to mobilise their members across the country to establish local government drug control committees and war against drug abuse (WADA) committees comprised of traditional rulers, community gatekeepers, opinion and religious leaders, market and women groups, and others at the community level. These committees, similar to those found at the national and state levels, he stated, will collaborate with NDLEA commands to coordinate the fight against the drug menace in the communities.
He encouraged them to include advocacy and drug testing as key components of their efforts when they return to their local governments to start implementing the various strategies discussed at the meeting. He added that to make drug testing easier, the Agency has mass produced quality test kits that are simple to use at home, in offices, and elsewhere, with the goal of early detection and treatment for those who test positive, as well as deterrence.

In his remarks, the ALGON National President lamented the negative impact of drug abuse on health, businesses, and the security of lives and property at the grassroots level, while expressing the organization’s commitment to working with NDLEA to ensure that the ugly development is quickly reversed.

He stated, “As the body of local governments in Nigeria, we appreciate the enormous work this Agency is doing under your leadership, which is why we have come to partner with you so that we can collectively stamp out the drug abuse problem in our communities.”

He assured that they would put in place the necessary structures to facilitate the deployment of NDLEA personnel to their council areas.

Other ALGON leaders present at the meeting include Mr. Itiako Ikpokpo, Director General; Hon. Bala Chamo, National Publicity Secretary; Hon. Aminu Jairo Hassan, National Welfare Officer; Hon. Adamu Bukar, National Auditor; and Hon. Shehu Jega, Chief of Staff to the National President.