14.2m Nigerians took drugs in 2018 - NDLEA

The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said 14.2 million Nigerians consumed illicit drugs last year.

The agency’s chairman, Col. Mohammad Abdallah (retd), addressed reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on the side-line of the sent-forth ceremony organised for the retiring commander of state command, Ona Ogilegwe.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Oloruntoba, the NDLEA chairman said:

“Everybody is alarmed at the rate drugs are abused these days.”

Making reference to United Nations (UN) statistics, Abdallah said:

"The recent United Nations drugs survey put it that 14.2 million Nigerians consumed illicit drugs in 2018. This is higher than the global statistics. Globally, it is estimated that only five million people took drugs last year. Ironically and frighteningly, it means 14.2 per cent of Nigerians took drugs last year.

“What it means is that every Okada rider that you see working from 6 a.m to 10 p.m is on something. The cultists, the kidnappers who pitch tent in the bush are on drugs. What it means also is that if government fights drugs, it has fought 50 per cent of criminality in Nigeria.”

The NDLEA chairman urged the government to provide the tools, the fund and the personnel for the war against drug abuse to be successful across the country. 

“What we are asking government to do is to give us the materials, men and money – the three Ms – and, of course, equipment.

"It is better to soak the presence of NDLEA men in all the corners of the country. What I am saying is that the presence of NDLEA cannot be felt in every nook and cranny of Nigeria because we are short of men.

"Adequate equipment is where the world is gravitating to. Equipment can solve a lot of problems without physically being there. I was opportune to see it in China.

"If you are at the police headquarters in China, you will see all that is happening in the cities of Bejin one after the other. Even if government cannot do that for us, it should give us the minimum to police the borders, airports and seaports.