From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Governor Dr Alex Otti has called on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to come up with stringent legislation that will toughen the punishment for drug offences.
Otti said this would go a long way in discouraging youths from going into drugs, thereby curbing drug abuse in Nigeria.
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The governor further called for a crackdown on drug cartels in order to cut off the distribution of illicit substances and checkmate criminal activities, since over 90 percent of crime is connected to drug abuse.
Governor Otti made the call when the new NDLEA State Commandant, Mr Joseph Owoputi, called on him in his office.
“We just need to crack the drug cartel. So, if you crack the drug cartel, then the crime disappears.
“Unfortunately, the law is a bit lenient on the use of drugs. I didn’t know that until I was in one of the security council meetings. They said that whenever you apprehend somebody using drugs, you counsel and rehabilitate the person. That’s not enough punishment.
“So, we need to, maybe, lobby and get it passed at the National Assembly. So that the law can be tougher, because if you are not dealing with the source, you are just wasting time. So, I think we should do that.
“Because it’s destroying a lot of young people. Some of them are not able to remain in school. For those that are of school age,” Otti said.
While welcoming the new Commandant to the State, Otti not only assured him of the support of his administration to the agency in its fight against drug abuse, but also approved two new Hilux vans for the agency.
The governor directed that the agency’s abandoned vehicles be retrieved and fixed by his government.
Owoputi had earlier lauded the governor for his achievements in office and support to the NDLEA.
He told the governor that 65 suspects were arrested by the Command between June and August, with about 82 kilograms of substances seized from them.
He disclosed that seven convictions were obtained within the period under review, and 12 are currently being prosecuted, while 38 individuals are undergoing both counselling and rehabilitation in the command’s facility.
The post Toughten penalties for drug offences, Otti urges NDLEA appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
