The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Delta command, on Wednesday, said it is ready to partner with the Aniocha–Oshimili Elders’ Association (Izu Ikei) to deepen the fight against drug-related crimes among youths.

The understanding to jointly fight the menace was reached when a seven-member delegation of the association visited the command headquarters in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South LGA of the state.

Speaking on behalf of the NDLEA, DCN Victor Osibor lauded the leadership of the group for demonstrating proactive concern over the rising challenge of drug abuse and trafficking among youths within Asaba and its environs.

Mr Osibor said that partnering with the group would help to strengthen cooperation in tackling drug abuse and narcotic trafficking in the area.

According to him, the position paper submitted by the association reflected the kind of mature, responsible, and forward-looking civic leadership required to confront emerging social threats.

He also said that community involvement is critical to the success of the NDLEA’s mandate and commended the association for taking a bold step in raising the alarm and proposing collaborative solutions.

He listed the agency’s mandate to include combating the supply chain of illicit drugs through intelligence gathering, arrests, prosecution, and the dismantling of drug trafficking networks.

“This approach addresses the issue of drug users, who are often regarded as victims of addiction, requiring medical and psychological intervention.

“In such cases, rehabilitation and treatment programmes are emphasised rather than purely punitive measures,” Mr Osibor said.

He said that the command, over the years, had adopted both punitive and rehabilitation services, which had helped individuals already addicted to narcotics to recover and reintegrate into society.

Mr Osibor said: “The command has made some remarkable achievements in its ongoing efforts to combat drug-related crimes across the state.

“We have made daily arrests and prosecution of drug offenders, particularly within the Asaba Capital Territory axis and other parts of the state.

“We have carried out drug screening in tertiary institutions; students are subjected to drug tests prior to admission in some schools.

“We developed alternative programmes in areas such as Kwale, where farmers who previously engaged in the cultivation of illicit substances are being supported to shift to legitimate agricultural activities, including cassava farming.

“We also adopted rehabilitation services for individuals already addicted to narcotics, help them recover and reintegrate into society,” Mr Osibor said.

He said that the emergence of new synthetic drugs, social gatherings, and current economic realities, among others, made the situation more difficult to combat.

He said that “parental control has become difficult because of the financial benefits from drug-related businesses”.

Earlier, the president of the association, Clement Okonjo, raised concern over the rising tide of drug trafficking and abuse among youths in the Aniocha-Oshimili area of the state capital.

Mr Okonjo was accompanied by the association’s secretary, Chris Biose; chairman of the ad hoc committee, Christopher Nwayalani, Cordelia Nwabuoku, Patrick Okenyi, Ngozi Nwabuoku, and Joseph Onyemanu.

The group urged the NDLEA to block drug supply routes and dismantle emerging distribution networks.

It also raised several community concerns relating to drug supply routes and local distribution hubs, with particular attention to the tunnel axis on Okpanam Road.

It pointed out that elders of Okpanam community had long expressed worry over the development and demanded closer surveillance around the area.

The association called for intelligence-driven interventions aimed at blocking certain bush markets and informal settlements believed to be serving as points within the supply chain. 

(NAN)