MORE young people are using drugs than previous generations, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohammed Buba Marwa, has said.
Marwa stated this at the 31st meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa (HONLAF) in Abuja, on Tuesday, September 26.
The NDLEA boss charged his counterparts across the continent to strengthen operational networks and raise the bar in the drug war.
“Young people are using more drugs than previous generations, and the majority of people being treated for drug use disorders in Africa are under the age of 35.
“What is worse, the availability of treatment and other services has not kept pace with these developments, and women in particular are suffering from treatment gaps,” Marwa stated.
He said the world drug problem affects everybody, and no country could tackle the problem alone.
“The meeting is very important, as it enables its parent body, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, to learn about current regional drug trends, threats, and emerging challenges from practitioners and law enforcement experts from all parts of the continent.
“The 31st meeting will indeed provide an opportunity for us to raise the bar and break new ground in different areas of our operations and collaborative efforts,” he added.
He said he was delighted to listen to others and share experiences that would positively shape operations and redefine cooperation among African countries in tackling illicit drug abuse.
While declaring the meeting open, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, expressed his administration’s commitment to the country’s fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Tinubu said efforts were on to curtail the global drug problem. He assured that he would continue to provide the necessary support and tools for the NDLEA to fulfil its mandate.
“We understand the connection between the success of the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking and the attainment of a number of goals on our socio-economic and security agenda.”
“For us, the commitment to the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse is not just a matter of policy; it is a moral imperative,” Tinubu said.
The President noted that he recognised that a population at war with drugs was not a dividend but a liability.
He added that the future of the youths, the strength of institutions, and the well-being of communities depended on the nation’s ability to eradicate this threat.
“Our strength has always been our proactive actions to prevent any individual or group from turning our countries into a minefield of drug trafficking. So, we must prioritise prevention, education, and rehabilitation to empower our youth with knowledge and opportunities.
“We must steer them away from the treacherous path of drug abuse and trafficking and protect our economy from the consequences of their actions,” the President said.
While emphasising the threat posed to countries by the drug scourge, the President urged participants attending the conference to seize the opportunity of the gathering to develop novel strategies to dismantle drug cartels across the African continent.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by the Director of International Criminal Justice Cooperation, Federal Ministry of Justice, Nkiruka Jones-Nebo, said the conference must remain proactive in addressing the legal complexities that might impede seamless cooperation in intelligence sharing, joint operations, and training.
Also speaking at the event, Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Oliver Stolpe said the drug problem had changed from what it used to be 20 years ago.
The Executive Director of UNODC, Ghada Fathi Waly and the Chairman of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, who spoke via video messages, expressed support for the gathering.
He charged delegates to maximise the opportunities provided by the platform.
A reporter with the ICIR
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