By Cajetan Mmuta
The National Orientation Agency has raised the alarm over inherent dangers on the lives of a greater percentage of Nigerian youths who indulge in illicit consumption of methamphetamine and related illicit drugs in society.
It noted that the intake of those drugs with adverse effects on human health had eaten deep into the fabrics of various communities and towns in Nigerian.
Director of the NOA in Anambra State, Barrister Charles Nwoji stayed this when he led the management team of the Agency on a courtesy visit to the State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mrs. Florence Ezeonye in her office at the headquarters of the agency in Awka, the state capital.
Nwoji said the visit was to officially welcome the new NDLEA Commander to the State and to acquaint her with the orientation programmes of the NOA.
He described illicit drugs as some of the enablers that stimulate the incidence of kidnapping, armed robbery, insecurity and violence against persons in the society.
The NOA state director said the directorate in the State had perfected plans to organize a town hall meeting that would help launch a total war against the menace of methamphetamine and other related drugs Tobe held soon at Unubi Community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the State.
He promised to extend the programme to three Senatorial zones of the State in order to ensure adequate sensitization and awareness creation in all parts of the State.
Nwoji said he was not ignorant of the constitutional duties of the NDLEA in the Society, maintained that the State and the society at large cannot do without the activities of the agency in line with its constitutional role of enthroning positive attitudinal change.
According to him, the NOA is striving hard in line with its mandate to change bad attitudes of the Nigerian citizens to positive ones even as he called for cooperation and synergy between the two sister organizations in the fight against illicit drugs in the State.
The state NDLEA Commander, Mrs.Florence Ezeonye, commended the management team of the NOA for the visit and pledged to work collaboratively with all relevant Government Agencies towards the common good of the society.
She pointed out that the drug agency recently discovered secret laboratories for the manufacture of illicit drugs in Lagos and Anambra State.
While describing methamphetamine as a very dangerous drug, Mrs Ezeonye wondered why some youths have indulged themselves in the consumption of methamphetamine, pointing out that the ugly has caused a lot of havoc in most families, the State, and the larger society.
Mrs.Ezeonye, who disclosed that officials of the agency on duties were attacked rece sky by hoodlums at Nnewi and carted way their three rifles also called on traditional rulers, President-Generals of town unions and other critical stakeholders in the State to join forces with the Agency in ridding Communities and the state of methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs.
She identified hard drugs as the catalyst behind every crime and criminality in society, stressing that all hands must be on deck in the fight against the consumption of illicit drugs
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The agency further warned that people should put a stop to tying and flogging drug addicts as such treatment was not the best way to handle the victims, rather they should bring them to their laboratories for rehabilitation.
A Deputy Director of Programs of NOA, Awka, Sir Joseph Uchendu, thanked Mrs.Ezeonye and her team for the warm reception accorded to the NOA team.
He expressed appreciation to the NDLEA for building a conducive laboratory for the rehabilitation of the drug addicts in the State.
