The Akwa Ibom state government Thursday ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to mop up and prosecute hard drug pushers in the state.
The Akwa Ibom deputy governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, gave the charge when the new state Commander, Mrs Obot Bassey, paid him a courtesy call in Government House in Uyo
Ekpo argued that the proliferation and trafficking of hard drugs was largely responsible for the escalation of criminality in the society today.
“The proliferation and trafficking of hard drugs is largely responsible for the escalation of criminality in our society today.
“Most of the vices in our society such as the dare devil kidnapping, armed robbery and armed herdsmen are fuelled by the abuse of hard drugs and illicit substances, and therefore required extraordinary measures and strategies to contain,” Ekpo said.
The deputy governor commended the new commander for her achievements in NDLEA as well as her international engagements which has distinguished her as a committed patriot.
Ekpo pledged the cooperation of the state government towards the success of her tenure as well as the operations of NDLEA in Akwa Ibom.
Earlier, the new state commander, Bassey said she was fully committed to making the state a drug free zone.
Bassey called for an effective partnership and collaboration with the state government through the setting up of a committee on Drugs Prevention and Control.
The state commander said that the state government has a collaborative role to play in ensuring that the state was drug free.
She disclosed that the state was ravaged by severe drug problems, especially cannabis, cocaine as well as other psychotropic drugs and substances.
The state commander said the Command would soon carry out what the command called, “Operation Burn the Weeds” to mop up drugs from the system, stressing that about two million exhibits were currently with the command.
Bassey appealed to the state government to assist the command with logistics, such as motorised boats to cover rural riverine areas of the state
