NDLEA To Abia Hard Drug Dealers: “A Pharaoh That Does Not Know Joseph Is In Charge

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Hoteliers and other operators of relaxation spots who lend their premises as rendezvous to dealers and consumers of illicit drugs are in for a hard time.

Henceforth, there will be no more hiding places in Abia State for traffickers in hard substances ,as it is not going to be business as usual .

These were the marching orders issued Wednesday June 12 ,2024, by the Abia state Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA Amos Adelanwa  at an interactive session with the Media in Aba the commercial hub of the state.

Alluding to the scriptural phrase,” a Pharaoh  who does not know Joseph is in charge”,  the new NDLEA boss vowed  that there will be no sacred cow in the fight to  eliminate trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs and other hard  substances in the State.

Particularly, Adelanwa insisted that hoteliers and owners of other establishments who allow their business premises to be used as hawking and/or transit camps for hard substances will not be spared.

According to him, such identified hard drug camps will be clamped down upon with their operators treated same way as drug traffickers.

The Abia NDLEA Commandant noted that the agency has resolved to make the state an unfertile ground for traffickers and consumers of illicit drugs.

Adelanwa also solicited the support, understanding and cooperation of community leaders, and other major stakeholders in the fight against illicit drugs, adding that the agency will go the whole hog in ensuring that Abia State is ridden of the activities of illicit drugs traffickers and other related criminal tendencies.

He, however, identified some of the operational challenges facing the agency to include paucity of operational vehicles and inaccessibility to some remote parts of the state.

He enjoined Abia residents and stakeholders to volunteer their services, particularly through the offering of actionable intelligence, in the renewed quest to halt the activities of hard drug trafficking and consumption.

Adelanwa emphasised that the agency is not unmindful of the imperativeness of sensitization and enlightenment, hence its appeal to community leaders and others to join hands to halt hard drugs trafficking and consumption, because of their devastating impact on the youths .

According to him, this strategy of engagement with stakeholders offers a more pragmatic path towards a healthier ,drug-free future for all ,noting that volunteering credible information to the agency about persons and places where illicit drugs are sold or Consumed will be treated with all the confidentiality required.