Mrs Rachael Shelleng, Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Rivers, has restated the agency’s commitment to track down drug law offenders in the state.
Shelleng, who restated the commitment, on Wednesday, in Port Harcourt, when members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists visited her, stressed that drug and substance abuse remained inimical to human health as well as societal decency and development.
“Drug abuse destroys society, it is a serious issue that requires the collective commitment of government and the public to tackle. If we don’t come all out to fight against drug abuse, crime and irresponsible habits will become the order of the day,” she said.
The commander said that the spate of crime and violence in some parts of the country was partly as a result of drug intake, saying, “no sane person is destructive”
“Whenever criminals are arrested, drugs are found in their possession, drug influences crime and violence,” she said.
Shelleng further stated that NDLEA had shown enormous commitment towards tackling the menace of drug abuse in the country.
“We do not need to advertise the efforts we are making to fight drug abuse, we are aware of its dangers to the society and the future of our nation,” she said.
She urged governments, corporate organisations and good-spirited individuals, to support the agency in the delivery of its mandate of stamping out drug abuse in the country.
Earlier, Mr Amaechi Okonkwo, Chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel, said the visit was to seek areas in which the chapel could partner the agency in the fight against drug abuse.
He expressed the readiness of the chapel to support the agency in sensitising the public about the dangers of drug abuse.
“We are agents of societal growth, we need to work together, we are willing to support you in delivering on your mandate,” he said.
