Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa has once again emphasised the need of everyone in the country working together to combat the issue of illicit drug usage, which has a significant detrimental impact on national development.
He says that while the government is doing all possible, more results would be obtained if institutions joined the fight against drug abuse.
This was contained in the speech he delivered at the 40th Olumide memorial lecture in Abuja.
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According to UN data from 2018, Nigeria has one of the highest rates of drug use in the world, at 14.4 percent, whereas the global average is 5.6 percent.
The Chairman and CEO of NDLEA’s speech at the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors lecture is more of an exposition on the economic ramifications of drug abuse.
He said while Nigeria does not have statistics on the economic cost implications of drug use, the data from the US gives a picture.
The economic cost of drug abuse in the US in 2007 was estimated at 193 billion dollars, out of these, lost productivity accounted for about 120 billion dollars
He went on to explain that violence and crime in Nigeria has been directly linked to drug use especially the activities of Boko Haram.
Despite the efforts of his agency in addressing trafficking in drugs, criminal elements will go to any length to bring drugs into the country
The Institution on its part, says it has the capability to help NDLEA locate cannabis plantations as a way of preventing drug abuse.
The NDLEA boss, expressed delight over the existing cordial relationship and synergy between the agency and other sister agencies.
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