…10.6m Nigerians actively abusing cannabis – Marwa
President Muhammadu Buhari has noted that the war against illicit drugs is more dangerous than the war against insurgency, banditry and kidnapping ravaging parts of the country and has therefore called for concerted effort to deal with the menace.
He made the declaration Saturday at the presidential villa, Abuja while launching the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), a programme initiated by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in commemoration of the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking under the theme: Share Facts on Drugs. Save Lives..
The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha,charged the NDLEA to intensify efforts to rid the forests of the southwest and south-south regions of the country of criminal elements, who he said, had made the places their hideouts, from where they launch criminal onslaughts as well as for farming marijuana.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, (rtd), in his remark, lamented over the pervasive abuse of cannabis in the country, revealing that about 10.6 million Nigerians are actively abusing the substance.
Marwa also said Nigeria is the highest user of cannabis globally.
According to the NDLEA boss, the increasing trend of drug abuse in the country is worrisome and has become an enabler of insecurity and a catalyst for terrorism.
