The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Commander in Anambra State, Mr Mohammed Idris, says the Command has developed functional programmes to reduce drug abuse and its associated crimes in the state.
Idris made this known during an interaction with some journalists in Awka, yesterday.
He said the command had developed lots of programmes to reduce drug related crimes such as illicit drugs usage and establishment of drug free clubs in schools.
“Also, the command would erect rehabilitation centres in the state where the command would counsel both the drug users and the dealers.
“Drug abuse remains a serious challenge to the development of the society and it would be faced with all attentions it deserves,” he said.
He said the programmes would address the conscience of the drug dealers on daily basis to ensure they have a rethink and make amends by themselves.
Idris said drug abuse had contributed to lots of social ills such as prostitution, robbery and kidnapping among the youth in major cities across the country.
He urged the public to report any suspects to security officers nearest to them, and called for watertight collaboration between NDLEA and other relevant agencies.
Idris said more sensitisation on the laws prohibiting the use of illicit drugs needed to be carried out so that the people would be well informed on the inherent dangers of illicit drugs.
He appealed to government agencies saddled with re-orientation of the people’s mindset and media to join hands with the command to ensure that the message was widely spread.
Idris said the public needed attitudinal change towards drug abuse and other drug related vices like sexual and gender-based violence, describing the menace as a disturbance to the society.