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2 million people in South-South use psychoactive substances – NDLEA
No fewer than 2.1 million persons aged between 15 and 64 years in the South-South region, use psychoactive substances, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said.
Stella Ngwoke, the Commander, NDLEA command in Port Harcourt Ports, made the disclosure in Onne on Wednesday at an event to mark the 2024 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse.
Ngwoke who quoted statistics from the National Drug Use Survey, 2018, said that about 14.3 million persons aged between 15 and 64 used illicit drugs in the country.
“We are talking about drug use for non-medical purposes. It has also been discovered that one out of every four drug user, is a woman.
“In Rivers, the prevalence rate is 15 per cent of the said population which is estimated at 580,000 people,” she said.
The commander listed, hemp, tramadol, morphine and cough syrups containing codeine as the mostly abused substances in the South-South region.
Ngwoke said that the current realities about drug intake in the country required that governments at all levels and relevant stakeholders should rise to the occasion.
She said that NDLEA had already taken proactive steps to ensure a balanced approach towards reducing the demand for the regularly abused drugs.
The NDLEA official said that part of the approach was the suppression of the supply of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as stipulated in the National Drug Control Master Plan, 2020-2025.
The commander said that already, the agency’s interdiction effort at the ports had led the the seizure of large shipment of drugs from India.
Ngwoke stated that in May, the agency seized no fewer than 1,750 cartons of cartons of cough syrup with codeine, weighing 26,250kg.
‘”Also, in June, another seizure of 875 cartons of cough syrup with codeine, also containing 17,500 bottles, and weighing 26,250kg was made.
“The street value of the drug in these two operations is estimated at over N4 billion,’’ she said.
Ngwoke said that in addition to the seizure, mop-up operations were carried out around the Port Harcourt Ports corridor to dislodge drug joints.
Also speaking, the Special Guest of Honour, Mr Mohammed Babadende, expressed worries that drug abuse was ravaging the country.
He said that drug abuse had since metamorphosed into a global problem with a multifaceted challenge that touched on the lives of millions of people globally.
Babadende commended the NDLEA for working assiduously to tackle drug abuse, trafficking and addiction in the country.
“We all know that drug availability, affordability and accessibility are directly influenced by addiction,” he said.
Mr Bayo Adepoju, the Deputy Director, Port Operations, NAFDAC, said that although tramadol and codeine were prescription drugs, it is illegal for anyone to have them in large quantity.
By Umar Akilu Majeri Dutse
The Jigawa State Government has dissolved the executives of all 27 local government areas in the state, according to a statement signed by Malam Najib Umar, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Local Government.
The decision was made following the expiration of their tenure.
The Jigawa State Ministry for Local Government and Community Development has directed the Director Administration and General Services (DAGs) of all the 27 Local Governments of the state to take over the affairs of the administration.
Therefore, all appointed officials including; Secretaries, Supervisory Councillors, Special advisers and assistants of all the Local Government Councils are equally relieved of their appointments.
In his remarks, on behalf of the Jigawa State Government Under the leadership of His Excellency, the Governor Malam Umar A. Namadi FCA, the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development Hon. Ahmed Garba MK, Congratulates the outgoing officials on the Successful Conduct of their tenures, which shows the significant contributions rendered to the development of their areas and the state in general.
He therefore tasked them to hand over all the necessary documents on their possession with immediate effect ,also advised the out going executive to hand over the of all Governments’ Belongings in their possessions to the directors of administration’s and finance
One person was confirmed dead in an accident that occurred on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Saturday morning.
The fatal accident involved a Mini Truck (MUS 489 XS) and a Toyota Camry (KRD 470 JD).
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident was caused by excessive speeding during a heavy downpour this morning,” the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said in a statement.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, in the statement signed by Mr Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, said that three others were rescued at the accident scene.
He said that operatives of LASTMA responded swiftly to the accident, which occured near the Unilag waterfront, heading towards the Iyana-Oworonsoki area of Lagos.
Giwa said that despite the government’s ongoing campaign to educate motorists about speed limits, drivers continued to flout the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.
He urged both commercial bus drivers and private car owners to avoid exceeding speed limits on the Third Mainland Bridge and other roads throughout the state.
Giwa said that the deceased was promptly removed by State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) officials, while LASTMA cleared the accident vehicles to ensure smooth traffic flow on the bridge.
He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the importance of road safety.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has called for financial, administrative and political autonomy for local governments.
The NULGE National President, Mr Ambali Olatunji, said in Lagos on Saturday that the autonomy was important for Nigeria to grow its gross domestic product more and curb insecurity.
Olatunji said: “We must make local governments to be financially, administratively and politically autonomous.
“We must consider community policing, so that there must be guarding at the community level.
“Our policing policy should not be reactionary, but pre-emptive to be able to address insecurity.
“Our opinion is that the local government must be the platform for policing evolution in Nigeria.”
The labour leader also called on the Federal Government to create a policy that would address unemployment at the local government level.
He called for revival of the vocational skills acquisition department of local governments.
According to him, this will ensure that women and youths in the rural communities are trained and empowered.
“The vocational skills acquisition department across local governments has been erased systematically, overtime.
“This level of government should be given adequate attention to address the needs of those in the rural settings.
“It will go a long way to improve livelihoods and ensure a better Nigeria for everyone,“ Olatunji said.
Jigawa Govt dissolves 27 LG executives
Troops nab 47 suspected rail track vandals in Kaduna
