TOWARDS curtailing the rising incidence of drug and alcohol abuse as well as cultism amongst teenagers and young adults in Nigeria, two young Nigerians based in the United states of America are set to establish the Nigerian Chapter of the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) in secondary schools and tertiary institutions in the country.

The duo, Maria and Marita Ayodele, who are daughters of the nation's pioneer herbal slimmer, Dr. Quincy Sumbo Ayodele, are students of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA. They told Good Health Weekly during an interactive session that the local chapter of the organization which is being launched August this year, is aimed to inform Nigerian youths on how best to have quality fun without resort to dangerous and destructive behaviours.

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Uyo

The State Commander of the Akwa Ibom Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (ND-LEA), Mrs Florence Dan Archibong, has said that the command arrested 96 persons involved in various drug offences since its establishment in the State a year ago.

Mrs. Archibong, who disclosed this at this year's United Nations International Day Celebration Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, said of the number of the arrested suspects, nine were females while 87 were males .

The command, she said, also seized cannabis, weighing 120 kilogrammes, 12 grammes of cocaine and one gramme of heroine from the suspects.

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Lagos

A drug dependent person can be treated, rehabilitated and reintegrated into the society to be useful once again, speakers at the recently celebrated United Nations Day Against Illicit Drug Trafficking and Abuse said. Jonah Achema who was there writes

The mammoth crowd spoke volumes. People from all walks of life, top government functionaries, members of the diplomatic corps, security chiefs, youths, transport and tourism workers, religious and Traditional leaders, counsellors, social workers and experts all converged at the Women Development Centre in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory on June 25, 2004 for formal presentations on the double barrelled scourges of drug trafficking and abuse.

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Lagos -- The Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji has appealed to Nigerians to take very urgent steps towards insuring the Nigerian youths against the raging menace of illicit drug trafficking and abuse.

Alhaji Lafiaji who made the appeal in Abuja at the grand finale of the week long series of activities marking 2004 United Nations International Day Against Illicit Trafficking And Drug Abuse said the youths have remained the most vulnerable age group and that the need to insure them is hinged on the fact that only youths with healthy bodies and sound minds can fulfil their expected responsibility of building a strong and virile nation.

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[sidebar]

The fight against drug abuse must be total....

"...collaborative efforts to successfully fight the menace of fraudsters and money launderers in Nigeria and Africa" - Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, President Federal Republic of Nigeria.

IN his inaugural speech at the Lincoln Memorial Mall in Washington D.C. on Monday, January 20, 1997 titled We will redeem the promise of America in the 21st Century, the former US President, Bill Clinton, said among others: "Our streets will echo again with the laughter of our children, because no one will try to shoot them or sell them drugs anymore" a maxim which adds impetus to the raison-d'entre the United Nations sets aside June 26, every year as the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. It is a day all nations are expected to re-affirm their faith and re-inaugurate the clarion crusade against the scourge that has continued to bedevil mankind. The United Nations since the Single Convention of 1988 against illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, always has a theme as focus and/or area of concentration each year.

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Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Akwa Ibom command has called on the state government to establish a rehabilitation / treatment centre, where drug dependent persons could be accommodated for treatment.

Making this call in Uyo, at a press briefing to begin activities, marking the United Nations International week against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking; the state commandant of NDLEA, Mrs. Florence Dan Archibong said it was important for drug addicts to go through a clinical treatment process by way of detoxification, maintenance, and counseling through various methods, including religious and psychological methods.

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Gombe -- Worried by the danger posed by drug abuse, Gombe State government has mapped out strategies to rehabilitate drug abusers in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Isa Umar, while inaugurating a 12-member drug abuse control committee headed by the state Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Alhaji Waziri Mohammed, said the government was desperate to fight drug abuse in the state.

According to him, scattered data collated by government had shown that the rate of drug abuse is on the increase and must be checked.

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Three hundred and thirty-nine Nigerians repatriated from Thailand jails last year by the Federal Government and clamped into jail in the country after serving various jail terms for drug related offences in that Asia country have appealed to President Olus-egun Obasanjo to release them on compassionate ground.

The prisoners, who have been held in Ilesa, Umuahia, Aba, Kuje and Minna prisons, were jailed in Thailand for drug related offences and were serving prison sentences ranging from 25 years to life imprisonment before they were brought to Nigeria.

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Bauchi -- Bauchi State Command of the National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that about 50.815 kilogrames of cannabis sativa popularly known as Indian hemp have so far been seized in the area this year.

Disclosing this in Bauchi the state Commander of the Agency, Ms Omolade Fagboyede, added that 50 persons have also been arrested while five were convicted, saying Nigeria has a lot of mad men and women on our streets due to readily available market of cannabis sativa, containing most dangerous psychotropic substance called tetra-hydrocanubium, which intoxicates drug users beyond control. She pointed out that the war against drugs was a collective responsibility which should involve all sectors of the society.

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Lagos

Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday destroyed about 6.9 tonnes of narcoutic drugs and psychothropic substances worth N204,268, 290 arrested from drugs suspects couples of months back. The break down of the drugs set ablaze at the Murital Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), NACHO shed, Ikeja, were cocaine 23.2 kilogrames, heroin 53.4 kilogrames, cannabis 414 kilogrames and diazepam 195.9 kilogrames.

The break down of the value of the destroyed drugs were cocaine N70,311,000, heroin 163,522,500, cannabis N44,498 and diazepharm N20,400.

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Dutse

Sixty two Indian hemp dealers were arrested in a raid carried out by men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Hadejia, Jigawa state.

Revealing the arrest 10 members of the Hadejia development circle, sector command of the agency in the area, Alhaji Junaidu Yusuf Kafur said the arrest carried out within two months, enable the command to seize several tones of Indian hemp and other contraband drugs in the area.

He said his men have intercepted large consignments of drugs in various areas after a serious patrol aimed to fish out drug users and dealers in the area.

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Worried by the growing trend of Injecting Drug Use (IDU) in the country, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has called on the Federal government and other stakeholders in the fight against HIV/AIDS to pay critical attention to the devastating and the closely linked relationship between Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS.

Chairman Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji who made the call in Lagos while declaring open a workshop for relevant NGOs on Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for West and Central Afric in Dakar, noted that despite the awareness being created concerning HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, not much is known about the relationship between drug abuse and HIV/AIDS.

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Lagos --Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji, has said that scientific and empirical evidence have shown that substance abuse contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Lafiaji noted that this happens through enhancement of risky sexual behaviours such as seeking gratification without due protection and sharing of unsterilised needles by drug users.

The NDLEA boss, who spoke through the Director-General of the Agency, Mr. Dave Ashang, at a three-day workshop on drug abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention in Nigeria, urged Non-Govern-mental Organisations (NGOs) to join hands with the government in containing the havoc of the pandemic.

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Ado-Ekiti -- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ekiti State has arrested a total of 25 drug traffickers between January and March this year and seized 305 kilogrammes of hard drugs.

The Commander of NDLEA in the State, Mr Victor Fadeyibi who disclosed this durng the inauguration of Drug Free Club at Iworoko Community High School, Iworoko-Ekiti said most of the traffickers who deal in Indian hemp were arrested in Ado-Ekiti, Iluomoba-Ekiti, Ikole-Ekiti, Efon-Alaaye and Igede-Ekiti.

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Lagos - Chief Regulating Officer of the National Agency for Food and Drug Adminis-tration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Ololade Alabi has advised Nigerian youths to always shun drugs, drug abuse, misuse and other related vices as a way of living a normal and healthy life.

Mrs Alabi who gave this advice yesterday at Gracewell Academy, Coker, Iganmu, in Lagos during a forum organised by Prince Decson, a non-governmental outfit, said that there was a close link between drug abuse and armed robbery, stealing, prostitution and HIV/AIDS pandemic, adding that people and youths who indulge in drug abuse are known to be security risks and social misfits.

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Lagos

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji, has been elected President of the European Working Group of the International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC).

His election took place at a conference of the organisation at Lima, Peru, recently. He had the Secretary of the IDEC two years ago.

A total of 400 delegates, representing 70 countries were at the conference. Prior to the election, there was an overwhelming vote of confidence on the Nigerian's tenure as secretary of the organisation. He was consequently elected unanimously by participating countries as president.

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CHAIRMAN/CHIEF Executive of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Alhaji Bello Lafiaji has identified cooperation among countries in West Africa as key to the success of the war against drugs in the sub-region. He stated this at the graduation of the first international training course of the NDLEA Regional Academy, Jos saying, "it is only when we act in concert that the war against drugs can be won. "He described the course as a boost for the West African Joint Operations Initiative against drugs currently underway. Alhaji Bello said the course marked the first concrete step towards actualizing the dream of establishing a regional training centre which would provide joint training opportunities for anti-drugs operatives in West Africa and enhance operational collaboration.

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Analysis

The NDLEA Has Joined the List of Government Institutions Making Waves Internationally. ....

Nigerians are justifiably happy and proud of the impact of some government institutions that have done what they are meant to do, that is, rendering services to the society, thereby positively touching our lives, individually and collectively.

The most celebrated of these institutions in Nigeria today is the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), under the effective leadership of Dr. Dora Akunyili, a lady who really deserves all the honour and kudos she is getting for a job well done in the promotion and protection of the public good. This is in the spirit of the service delivery vision and focus of the Federal Government. Under the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo, several other national institutions are equally performing or doing a good job for this country. And their success stories ought to be acknowledged and celebrated by Nigerians. Take the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led by Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, for instance. The body has busted several syndicates of big time swindlers who contributed in smearing the good name of this country, the biggest and most discomforting being the US$242 million scam. The newly established Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is also successfully smoothing Nigerian roads.

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Lagos

The recent classification of Nigeria by the United States of America (USA) as a transit camp for drug trafficking has once again thrown to question the seemingly hard earned reputation and achievement the country has recorded in battling the drug business in recent times.

Before the latest position, Nigeria had been de-listed as one of the hot spots for drug trafficking due to the tremendous efforts of the government particularly through the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in combating the crime.

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Uyo

The Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Chris Ekpen yong has expressed concern over the increased rate of drug abuse by youths in the state.

He stated this in Uyo when he hosted the Commander of the Nigerian Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, Mrs Florence Dan Archibong in his office.

Obong Ekpenyong reiterated that the future of Nigeria is threatened if its future leaders result to drug abuse.

He warned against the dangers inherent in the abuse of drugs and called on the NDLEA to do everything within its powers to see that the youths engage in profitable ventures that will keep them from drug use.

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