NDLEA, Customs Lead Campaign For International Day Against Drug Abuse 2024 At Lekki Port

By Roland Ekama

The Grand finale of weeklong activities to commemorate the United Nation Day celebration against illicit drug trafficking and abuse was held by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lekki Deep Sea Port Command on Wednesday 26th June, 2024 with a road walk.

The road walk was aimed to sensitize the general public within the port corridor on the dangers of drug abuse and was attended by Lekki Port management and collaborating agencies.

According to a statement on Thursday, by the Public Relations Officer ,NDLEA, Lekki Deep Sea Port Command CSN Abdullahi Musa Halidu, quoted the Area Commander Lekki Deep Sea Port, Jonah Achema, while welcoming participants for the road walk, emphasizing on theme of the year; “The Evidence is Clear, Invest in Prevention”.

Achema stated that the command will extend this sensitization exercise to schools within the port corridor.

He noted that the road walk commenced at the port gate through Dangote refinery junction to pinnacle oil and gas end of the corridor.

The event which was declared open by the Area Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos Free Zone Command, Comptroller Olanrewaju Abdulwaheed Olumoh , who joined the Commander NDLEA, Lekki Free Zone Special Area Command, officers of other sister agencies and some members of the public in the Walk to bring awareness on the dangers inherent in drug abuse, maintained that Illicit drug abuse is dangerous to human health and the society in general.

Comptroller Olumoh while speaking to journalists during the Walk said : ” The havoc that Drug Abuse does to society is huge. It causes a lot of social dislocations and that is why all of us must join hands with the NDLEA as a social responsibility to fight this menace”.

He stated further that “I want to believe that the NDLEA has to a very large extent created so much awareness about the dangers of Drugs Abuse in this vicinity”.

The CAC added that the exercise has the additional benefits of contributing to the well being of all the participants.

Heads of other collaborating agencies and their respective personnel present include- Nigeria Police Force, Department for State Security,DSS, Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), and the Nigeria Quarantine Service .

Personnel from NIMASA, NPA, FRSC all graced the event to jointly spread the gospel of abstinence from drug use.

However ,members of the National Association of Patent Medicine Dealers (NAPMED) were not left out.

The theme for International Day Against Drug Abuse 2024 is: “The evidence is clear: invest in prevention”. The theme teaches countries the importance of understanding that effective drug policies need to be grounded in science, research, compassion, and full respect for human rights.