A total of 79 drug traffickers have been convicted while 136 others have been arrested in the last six months by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra State.
State commander of the agency, Mr Daniel Onyishi who disclosed this in Awka during an event to mark the 2023 United Nations World Drug Day, themed, “People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention.”
He said the command seized 883.347 kilograms of illicit drugs and rehabilitated 25 clients.
He said the command engaged youths across the 21 Local Government Areas, adding that it carried out enlightenment programmes in higher institutions, secondary schools and churches within the period.
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He said that the achievements were made possible due to morale and logistics support from the chairman of the agency, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd).
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Ude, while declaring the event open, said substance abuse was a cankerworm which every right-thinking person must avoid.
She urged the youths to shun drug addiction, saying that it reduces human being to vegetable, make one’s family and society to be ashamed of the addict.
Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, Prof. Okechukwu Esimone in a goodwill message, urged youths, especially students not to allow anyone to influence them negatively to take illicit drugs.
Esimone, represented by Director, Academic and Planning, Prof. Angela Ufele said drug abuse impact negatively on the workforce.
He revealed that the institutions currently offer postgraduate programme to build capacity on how to tackle illicit drugs, as well as partner with NDLEA.
Delivering a short lecture, a professor of clinical psychology, Prof. Mike Ezenwa advised NDLEA to evolve proactive measures towards tackling the menace of drug trafficking and abuse.
