Rivers NSCDC, NDLEA Seek Collaboration To Check Drug Abuse

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Rivers Command, have pledged to work in collaboration to tackle illicit drug use in the state.
State Commandant of NSCDC, Basil Igwebueze, while playing host to the Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Rivers State, made the plans public at the state headquarters of the civil defence corps in Port Harcourt.
Commandant Basil noted that research has shown that most heinous crimes are committed after inducement of drugs and substance abuse; and that one way to rid the nation of crime is to forge a common front against drugs.
The NSCDC Commandant said some young people are exposed early to drugs from the environment they live.
He opined that the fight against the use of prohibited drugs should be a collective responsibility to achieve a crime free society.
Said he, It’s highly disturbing that drug abuse has now eaten deep into the fabrics of our society. It has destroyed our youths especially and for us to protect the tomorrow which our youth are going to be leaders we need to be in unity towards fighting the course”
“The campaign against drugs and substance abuse should not be done only in schools and neighborhood, the fighters of this crime which includes all Security personnel are also not excluded; officers and men on duty must see the need to firmly abhor the intake of drugs and inducers while on duty as well” he stated
Earlier, the Rivers NDLEA Commander, who led a team of senior officers on the visit hinted that a lot of campaigns are ongoing in various communities across the state.
The State NDLEA commander affirmed that in curtailing sales and consumption of illicit drugs, the NDLEA has been organising reorientation and awareness programmes across communities, churches, mosques and schools and this informed the need for NDLEA, NSCDC and other security agencies to partner and strengthen ties in order to fight to stand still the spate of drug abuse across board.
“My visit today is premised on the need to collaborate with your agency so that we can join hands together to rid Rivers State from the hand of criminal minded persons and one of the ways to do this is to vehemently combat the circulation and intakes of illicit drugs in our environment,” he declared.
Promising full support to the sister agency, he stressed need for training of officers to be fully equipped with necessary skills on how to identify prohibited drugs, effects of intake, arrests and rehabilitation methods for victims.
The highpoint of the courtesy visit were presentation of materials and souvenir graced with group photographs.