The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has unveiled new strategies and measures to address increased, constant abuse of drugs and illicit trafficking in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The NDLEA FCT commander, Kabir Tsakuwa, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Tsakuwa said that one of the strategies the agency was working on was to establish new Area commands and outposts in the FCT for effective drug control.

He said the agency would also explore the existing relationships with all security agencies, particularly in information sharing, as this would curtail illicit drug trafficking in the territory.

He added that the agency would improve its joint operations with a view to dislodging the identified black spots within the FCT.

According to him, we will ensure the successful prosecution of drug offenders through discrete investigations.

“Also, counselling and rehabilitation of drug users who need help, with a view to re-integrating them into the society, will not be left out.

“There will be a sustainable and improved collaboration with other sister agencies with enhanced engagement with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), and other stakeholders.

“This will help to carry out more sensitisation programmes within and around the FCT.

“There will also be more collaborative efforts with the parks management such as National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in both information sharing and sensitisation programmes with their members,“ he said.

Speaking on drug joints that had been dismantled, Mr Tsakuwa, who doubled as commander of narcotics, said that raids of drug joints remained a continuous process and could not be said to have been dismantled completely.

He said, “We have had cases where you carry out an operation on a drug joint but the next minute, they are back.”

According to Mr Tsakuwa, the agency will continue to give its best to ensure that the tempo is sustained and continuously improved.

“The issues of drug abuse are not funny and we must treat it squarely at both individual and governmental levels.

“There is a strong nexus between drug abuse and other criminalities like kidnapping, insurgency among others. When drug abuse and trafficking are dealt with, the rise in other criminalities will certainly drop.

“We shall use this opportunity to appeal to members of the public to continue to support the agency and command with information to help rid the FCT of drug abuse menace and other criminalities,” he said.

(NAN)