The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Tincan special area command, has urged Nigerians to view drug users as persons in need of help rather than criminals.

Mohammed Abubakar, commander of narcotics of the command, said that drug addiction was a medical condition that requires treatment and rehabilitation, and not punishment.

He made the appeal during an advocacy walk to drive the ‘War Against Drug Abuse’ (WADA) in Lagos on Friday.

The walk was in commemoration of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

It is observed every year on June 26 to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and the illicit drug trade.

NDLEA, with some sister security agencies like the Nigerian police and the Nigeria Customs Service, toured the Tincan port axis.

This year’s celebration is with the theme: “People First; Stop Stigmatisation and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention”.

He added that the agency was working toward increasing access to treatment and rehabilitation services for drug users across the country.

Mr Abubakar also called on the government and the private sector to support the agency’s efforts to tackle drug abuse and trafficking in the country.

“Stop stigmatisation of people using drugs. Don’t call them addicts, but people having drug challenges so that they can get better,” he said.

 According to him, the agency has various initiatives, one of which is WADA, initiated by its chairman and chief executive officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, (Rtd).

“This initiative was borne out of the zeal to enlighten and educate the public against the danger of drug abuse in the society.

“The person using drugs is not only a danger to himself, but to everybody around him. When we talk about financial security, you cannot deal with anyone that is abusing drugs,” he said.

The NDLEA boss also appreciated the synergy that the agency had with the chairperson, Apapa Local Government Area, Idowu Shobanjo, in commomerating the day.

He noted that as an agency that operate in the maritime sector, it was necessary to ensure that goods that came into the country through the borders and others were well monitored.

“Most of the containers that are coming into the country, come with some of these dangerous drugs. So, all the agencies around the corridors of the maritime domain should ensure that they keep the society and the community secured.

“The only way we can achieve a secure community is to emphasise on preventive measures and one of them is the exercise we conducted today,” he said

He urged the youth, especially corps members that participated in the walk, not to resort to self medication.

According to him, to strengthen prevention, the NDLEA has a 24 hours toll free call centre where anyone can call for help every day of the week and discuss in three different languages of Igbo, Yourba or Hausa.

He said that the agency had approved the establishment of rehabilitation centres in the six geopolitical zones of the country, where counselling would be taking place.

Also commenting, Mrs Shobanjo urged the public to stop the stigmatisation of drug users, noting that such act makes it difficult for them to stop using it.

‘Most of the time these users get into drugs through bad habits, friends, bad influence and some of them peer pressure and frustration.

She listed some of the factors that lead people to drug abuse as peer pressure, depression as a result of pressure from home, financial pressure, lack of work and rejection from boyfriends or girlfriends.

(NAN)