New leadership in NDLEA a welcome development, MMWG says as it congratulates Gen. Marwa

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Former Military Governor of Lagos State, Brigadier General Muhammad Buba Marwa (Rtd).

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By KEMI KASUMU

The Group also noted with regret that “today in Nigeria – all the State Capitals and their suburbs harbour illegal beer parlours, Indian hemp and illicit drugs Joints are so rampant to the extent that security agents especially the Police know all those locations and refused to raid them to arrest criminals terrorising the people.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended for changing the leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) made the commendation in its press statement on Wednesday 20 January equivalent to 8 Jumadal Awwal 1442 on the appointment of Retired Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa as the new Chairman of the agency.
In a statement widely circulated in the media and signed by the National Co-ordinator of the Group, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, it described the appointment as ‘a welcome the development’.
The Media Watch stated that it had persistently condemned drug addiction especially its prevalence among Nigerian youths and some criminal elements in the Society stating that no doubt the upsurge in criminality in Nigeria in the past three years (2018 to date) has been observed to have been influenced by alcohol, narcotics and other dangerous drugs.
According to the Group, Nigeria today faces the challenge of terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, abduction, armed robbery, banditry, rape and other criminal activities most which are committed by the youth between the age of 15 and 35.
While wondering the rampant prevalence of these crimes in our Society in spite of the existence and operational activities of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Group disclosed the outcome of its investigation revealing that the agency suffers from inadequate funds, mismanagement of the little resources available, lack of manpower, equipment, facilities, regular training and retraining of its personnel, low-morale of workers due to lack of incentives and welfare packages as well as poor sensitisation of the masses in the Media on dangers of alcoholism and drug-addiction.
MMWG stated further that NDLEA has been reduced to Rehabilitation Centre where discharged  mentally imbalanced youths that suffered from drug-addiction are rehabilitated.
In some cases, it said, NDLEA does not have sufficient funds to take care of the inmates of the Rehabilitation Centres, as families of the victims are called- upon to bring food, money and wearing apparels to take care of the inmates.
These ugly incidents must be reversed to pave way for good citizenship in Nigeria, MMWG urged.
The Group also noted with regret that “today in Nigeria – all the State Capitals and their suburbs harbour illegal beer parlours, Indian hemp and illicit drugs Joints are so rampant to the extent that security agents especially the Police know all those locations and refused to raid them to arrest criminals terrorising the people.
“So bad to the level of bad elements in the Police joining in committing the crime. Many big cities like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jos, Sokoto, Lagos, Ibadan, Benin, Enugu etc parades large numbers of drug addicts.”
The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria said “now that  the Federal Government has responded to call of the masses by appointing a new Chairman of NDLEA in person of Retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, he should be supported fully with finance and all other logistics to reposition NDLEA to stem the tide of drug criminalities in Nigeria.”
The Group stated that Nigeria cannot succeed in its war against insecurity if NDLEA is not properly positioned to do its duties and responsibilities urging the Federal Government to mobilise the Agency financially to recruit and deploy facilities to combat drug Crimes.
“It is ridiculous to note that the Former Chairman of NDLEA was moving round the Country begging States and Local Governments as well as individuals to donate funds to run the Agency. This must stop as FG needs to fulfil its responsibilities especially now that we are in turmoil over insecurity.”


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