The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Command in Adamawa says it seized about 20 tonnes of illicit drugs in different operations between 2015 and January 2020.
Mr Bello Idris, the state’s NDLEA Commander said this at Security Lecture Against Kidnapping organised by Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Yola on Tuesday.
Idris, represented by Mr Hassan Kabaju, the command’s Principal Staff Officer, Operations, said that drugs abuse had become a major threat to security in the state and beyond.
“From 2015 to date, the command seized about 20 tonnes of illicit drugs.
“The entire North East is besieged by criminal gangs whose illicit drugs are their driving force.
“In fact, many insurgents killed in the region, Tramadol and other illicit drugs were found in their pockets,” Kabaju said.
Idris added that drugs play vital role in crimes.
“There is need for collective response through community information gathering,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr Olu Adegoke, Chairman of the state’s Police Community Relations Committee, said the lecture was organised to brainstorm on how to collectively overcome security challenges, especially kidnapping in the area.
Adegoke noted that the country at large was in trying moment due to high rate of kidnapping and other crimes.
” We are in a trying period of kidnapping and other sorts of crimes; therefore, the security situation needs our collective solutions.
“Community should come out and give information to security agencies so that they can respond immediately,” Adegoke said.
Mr Bash Olasupo of the Nigeria Policing Programme (NPP) blamed inadequate funding of the Nigeria Police Force as the major factor affecting effective service delivery of the police.
“Frequent reports on huge sums given to kidnappers as ransoms encourages some criminals to involve in crime,” he said.( NAN)