The Borno Command of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has called for sustained collaboration with the military in the fight against hard drugs in Borno.
The State Commander of the agency, Mr Joseph Icha, made the call in Maiduguri on Thursday when the new Theatre Commander, Joint Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.Gen. Ibrahim Ali, who paid him a courtesy visit.
Icha said enhancing the existing collaboration was necessary to ensure maximum result in the fight against insurgency.
Icha who announced the seizure of 759 kilogrammes of illicit drugs by the agency in January, said the feat was achieved with the support of the army.
He explained that the seizures made in January alone was more than the 267 kilogrammes of illicit drugs seized in the whole of 2022.
“This quantity of drug seizure is far more than what we seized last year.
“Last year we seized 267kg, but this year in January alone we have seized 759kg with support of the army.
“It was the army that assisted us to carry out some interdiction activities,” Icha said.
He also announced that in 2022, the command arrested 509 suspects for various drug offences and counselled 259 persons with drug issues, while 29 were admitted into its rehabilitation facility.
“We have charged 203 persons to court and so far achieved 39 convictions.
“Our work is in two aspects, supply suppression and demand reduction.
“Demand reduction is reaching out to those who are likely to fall victim and those who are victims, to see how we can manage them to come off the challenge they have.
“These activities have been successful that in 2022, the command was given the award for excellence in demand reduction,” the commander said.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, said he was at the agency as part of his familiarisation tour of security agencies for more collaboration and synergy.
“I want to build on the collaboration you have with my predecessor so that we can achieve better results as a team.
“The NDLEA is a key partner to us in achieving our mandate, as most of those terrorists are involved in drugs to facilitate their illegal activities,” Ali said.
He noted that while in Jos as General Officer Commanding 3 Division, he collaborated with the NDLEA and would do the same in Borno.