The authorities should strengthen drug control policies
In its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse, the United Nations General Assembly decided on 7 December 1987 to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. As Nigeria therefore joins the rest of the world for this year’s edition, it is important for stakeholders to understand that we are in the throes of a major public health emergency.
We must commend the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) under the leadership of Brigadier General Muhammad Buba Marwa (rtd) for fighting the scourge. But there can be no denying the fact that the challenge is enormous. Just this week, the NDLEA reportedly uncovered a large-scale clandestine methamphetamine production facility hidden in a forest in Oyo state. A month ago, NDLEA operatives had dismantled a similar laboratory in a forest in Ogun State. Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant that is primarily used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug. Five suspects, including a Mexican national allegedly recruited to oversee the operation, were arrested.
