The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday said it was collaborating with traditional and religious leaders and schools in the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the collaboration was to prevent the remote communities from being turned into an illicit drug den.

Mr Babafemi assured Nigerians that the agency would leave no community and village unchecked in the fight against illicit drugs, trafficking and usage.

“The WADA is the brain work of this great anti Narcotic chairman, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, to make the country an illicit drug-free nation.

“The war has been yielding results as depicted in the number of arrests and prosecutions made so far,” he said.

He also confirmed that by 2030, demographic factors had projected the number of people using drugs to rise by 11 per cent globally and as much as 40 per cent in Africa alone.

“This is an early warning that anti-drug stakeholders should make sure that young people are enlightened on the dangerous substances that compromise their bright future.

“The head of this anti-narcotic agency has charged parents and other stakeholders to rise to the challenge of ensuring that illicit substances are kept away from young Nigerians,” he said.

(NAN)