Buba Marwa, the chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, has called for strict jail terms without the option of fines for drug traffickers to serve as a stronger deterrent against illicit drug activities.

Mr Marwa made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the National Minimum Standards on the Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws.

He said experience has shown that the option of fines in place of outright imprisonment has not deterred drug traffickers from the heinous crimes, hence the rise in illicit substance abuse.

He pleaded with the Chief Judge and Judges of the Federal High Court to always consider strict imprisonment for drug offenders who do not deserve leniency from the law.

Nigeria, he said, has over 10 million cannabis users, which, according to him, was very worrisome.

Mr Marwa said, “In the last five years, the agency made a seizure of about 15 million kg of assorted illicit substances, out of which between 70 and 75  per cent is cannabis.

“This worrisome situation has forced the NDLEA to meet cannabis growers, especially in Ondo state, to enlighten them to stop growing Indian hemp and embrace the legitimate growing of food and cash crops.

“Growing food would make life meaningful to both farmers and the public, and the efforts have been yielding fruitful results with positive response from the fields.”

Mr Marwa reiterated that hundreds of farmers opting out of cannabis growing would not only have sustainable means of legitimate livelihood, but would no longer live with fear of possible arrest and prosecution by the NDLEA.

(NAN)