The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (rtd), has expressed regret that the drugs abuse situation in the country is so bad that criminal elements especially kidnappers and armed bandits now ask for payment of ransoms in drugs.
The NDLEA Director, Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi made this known in a statement, Marwa said this during the inauguration of a special purpose committee of the agency to mobilise Nigerians for active involvement in the fight against drug abuse, peddling and trafficking.
“The use of drugs in Nigeria is getting to epidemic proportions with about 15 million approximately, nearly thrice the global prevalence. Unfortunately, drug use does not show in the face, so you won’t know if your next-door neighbour is doing drugs.
However, we all know somebody or someone who knows somebody doing drugs. No wonder we have so much criminality everywhere in our land. And it is increasing instead of abating, starting with kidnapping, insurgency, banditry (North West), then moving to Niger. Now it has upgraded to rape and assassinations.
Behind it all is drug use. Criminals all use drugs, even kidnappers now ask for ransom in drugs. Unless we get to this root cause, we will only be scorching at the surface as the criminalities will continue to flourish. I should also add that criminalities involve selling of drugs to fund their nefarious activities,” he said.
