CSOs charge Senate not to renege on promises to NDLEA

A coalition of civil society organizations in Kano has charged the Senate to keep to promises made in Kano during a two- day round table discussion in Kano on drug related matters to accord the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA support in its fight against drug abuse cases which has become a menace in the country.

Speaking at a media conference organized by the civil societies in collaboration with the NDLEA Kano command to mark the end of the 2017, Secretary NDLEA/CSOs Kano Steering Committee Comrade Ibrahim A Waiya, stated that the group deems it necessary to remind the Senate that it is important to keep to all its promises to support the drug and Law enforcement agency by ensuring that special amount is set aside for the agency in the 2018 budget and the money released to the appropriate body.

“We are meeting today to deliberate on how to follow up on all the promises being made to provide and equip NDLEA with the necessary tools needed for operation. The Senate has promised to as matter of urgency, address problems that has bedevilled the Agency for long, we want to appreciate their concern and remind them that the people of Kano are looking up to them to keep to their words”

In his remarks, the agency’s state commander Hamza Umar(MNI), stated that 2017 could be referred to as a successful year considering the number of seizures made as well as the successful number of convictions the command has secured.

He gave the break down as: cannabis arrested-5,525.577kg, Psychotic substances- 11,587.454kg, cocaine-344.922grams, Heroine-88.2grams. Total weight= 17,113.464KG. Total number of suspects arrested= 619, total number of suspects convicted =165.

Hamza further revealed that the command has also arrested 25 impersonators who are currently facing the law, who go around the state with fake NDLEA ID cards parading themselves as agents of the command, deceiving and extorting unsuspicious members of the public.

The coalition called on well to do individuals, business communities, state governments to join hands together to assist the agency to improve its services.

Also, he said that there is the need to have a standard rehabilitation centre where those suffering from use of drugs can have better counselling.

Yakubu Salisu, Kano