Pubdate: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 Source: This Day (Nigeria) Copyright: 2003 This Day Contact: http://www.thisdayonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870 UN ECONOMIC COUNCIL RE-ADMITS NIGERIA Nigeria has been re-admitted into the UN Economic Council, following satisfactory performance on its war against drug, the Chairman, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiagi, has said. Lafiagi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday that Nigeria's re-admission into the council followed the agency's successes on drug war both in the country and West African sub-region. He said the agency currently coordinates the sub-regional drug war involving the 13 west African countries. "Considering the fact that drug war could not be won in isolation, the NDLEA initiated the West Africa Joint Operation (WAJO), to galvanise the 13 West African countries to work together with a common goal," he said. The chairman noted that the NDLEA Training Academy in Jos had been upgraded to train officers across the West African sub-region. He said the UN had committed $5 million in addition to $2 million counterpart funding by Nigeria to develop the academy into a regional training centre. On money laundering, Lafiagi said three banks had been prosecuted by the agency, "while a good number were being investigated to ascertain the level of each in the crime". The agency had, in the last two years, impounded drugs with street value of up to N40 billion. Lafiagi, who advised parents and guardians to dissuade their children and wards from drug abuse, urged states and local governments in the country to support the agency in its efforts to make the country drugs-free. He thanked President Olusegun Obasanjo, members of the National Assembly and the international community for their support and collaborative efforts in the war against illicit drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake