The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is to collaborate with all stakeholders, including traditional rulers and community gatekeepers, to ensure that the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking is stamped out from communities.

NDLEA chairman Buba Marwa made this known on Friday in Abuja when he received the Dein of Agbor, Benjamin Gbenoba, on a visit.

Mr Marwa said NDLEA was currently deploying personnel to all local government areas to further its advocacy against drug abuse, as well as enforce the law on traffickers.

”Towards that, we met with the leadership of ALGON to make this process seamless, and we welcome the support and partnership with all stakeholders for successful implementation of all our drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts through a whole of society approach,” Mr Marwa said.

Earlier, the traditional ruler sought a partnership with the NDLEA to end the activities of drug dealers in his kingdom.

”We have been having some issues with drug dealers in Agbor. We’ve tried to handle it once or twice, but we’d like to at least be able to provide some land to have NDLEA come to Agbor,” said Mr Gbenoba.

He added that his partnership with NDLEA was also to send a strong message to drug dealers that their time is up in his kingdom.

“Kidnappers are now using these illicit drugs to go about their nefarious activities. The reduction of it in our society will bring down the crime rate, robberies, and so on.

“So, my message to the drug dealers, beware, you are on notice; we do not want you in Agbor; we do not want you in our country,” he said, adding that the use of drugs “is a life-or-death decision.”