NANS SEEKS PARTNERSHIP WITH NDLEA TO COMBAT DRUG ABUSE

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The National Association of Nigerian Students, or NANS, has appealed for cooperation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, or NDLEA, to address the issue of drug misuse among young people in the community.

As per the student body, the purpose of the collaboration is to address issues of drug abuse and trafficking among youths.

During a visit to the NDLEA headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday, the student body led by the NANS National Senate Clerk, Abdulyekinn Oduanyo; NANS Chairman, Ogun JCC, Francis Adeyanju; and NAOSS Global President, Kehinde Thomas, among others, made the call.

Speaking on behalf of the student leaders, Oduanyo said the abuse of drugs calls for urgent action due to the large number of mad youths roaming the streets.

The NANS Senate Clerk harped on the need for the agency to expand its awareness efforts to campuses and communities through student leaders.

He said, “I can confirm that the NDLEA has been doing so well when it comes to enforcement, but most of the students on campus are not aware, and most of our friends, sisters, and brothers at home are not aware. I think the NDLEA can do better by extending an awareness campaign into our campuses and communities, through the student leaders to our friends and family at home.

“We have a very large number of mad people roaming the streets. Everything is not a spiritual problem, most of this is caused by the illicit use of drugs and they are most times influenced by their friends.”

While lamenting that most Nigerian youths have turned the abuse of drugs into a daily lifestyle, Oduanyo underlined the importance of addressing the problem from the root.

“So apart from arresting those involved, I feel the agency should be able to curb these acts directly from the source because those buying it are not the source or problem, those selling are also not the problem but where is it coming from? Who are those distributing these drugs?

“And we, the Nigerian student leaders, are ready to cooperate and collaborate with the NDLEA to take the campaign out of our campuses and the state,” he added.

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Responding, the NDLEA State Commander, Tijjani Rabe, represented by the Deputy State Commander, Ekundayo Williams, said the command in 2023 destroyed about three farms and arrested over 3,000 suspects.

Williams, however, expressed the command’s willingness to collaborate and work with the student leaders.

“If we are to go by enforcement alone, we have been doing it, just last year alone, NDLEA destroyed about three farms in Ogun State here and about 10 suspects were arrested. We have been arresting dealers but these dealers work on roasters, if we pick a particular dealer out of the street, you will see another in the next hour.

“Between January and this time, over 3,000 suspects were arrested in the command here and we have convictions.

“So we are ready to collaborate with you because awareness is key and we want to protect the youths rather than go about arresting them,” he said.