By NIMAKE EARLAND BAUCHI
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bauchi State Command has decried the rate at which illicit drugs like Cocaine , heroin and Metaphytamine, is gaining a foothold in the state, and is making the fight against hard drugs more difficult.

The State Commander of NDLEA, Segun Oke, in Bauchi, the state capital, who stated this at the launch of War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) at the State Command, observed the need for all stakeholders to put hands on deck and support the campaign against illicit drugs in the state with a view to having a drug free society.

“In the course of our operations, we have intercepted drugs, popular drugs like Canabis Sativa, Tramadol, cough mixtures with Codeine and recently we have began to see indications that Cocaine, Metaphytamine are coming into Bauchi State,” Oke disclosed.

He said the stakeholders meeting is aimed at getting meaningful inputs from critical stakeholders on how to join hands with the Agency in securing the society from the activities of drug peddlers.

He disclosed that operatives of the agency operate across the state, adding that they were on roads, especially entry points into the state and black spots where people go to abuse drugs.

He appealed to families, stakeholders, religious bodies, including mosques and churches, to sensitize members of the society on the evil of drugs abuse.

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In his remarks the Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has assured of its readiness to support the anti-drugs agency for it to succeed in the fight against the menace of drug abuse in the state.

Governor Mohammed who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, General Marcus Yake (rtd), said drug abuse was one of the main causes of social vices in the society.

“Anybody involved in drugs, the next tendency is for such person to commit evil act and that is why we are having insecurity today in our society,” Governor Mohammed declared.

He commended the NDLEA for organising the stakeholders’ meeting, which he said was a good step towards fighting drug abuse not only in the state but also in the country and submitted that the task of fighting drugs menace was everybody’s business.

He called for synergy among various agencies involved in the fight against drug abuse, including detecting, identifying, reporting, prosecuting and punishing offenders.

“This interactive session is very good because it has accorded all the stakeholders the opportunity to make necessary contributions towards the fight against the menace, though NDLEA is the leader in the fight against drug abuse,” the governor said.

He noted that holistic approach had to be adopted in the fight against the menace of drug abuse, adding that the problem ought to be tackled from its root.