By Auwalu Yusuf
Call
March 29, 2018 (NAN) The Emir of Daura in Katsina State, Alhaji Farouk Umar, has called for more vigilance and collaboration between the customs and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to stem the menace of drug abuse.
Farouk made the call in Daura on Thursday when he received members of the NYSC Free Drug Club who were on sensitisation mission on the dangers of drug abuse.
He said customs and NDLEA needed to redouble their efforts and intensify surveillance, to detect importers, sellers, buyers and the end users of illicit drugs.
He described the instances of drug abuse, especially among the youth, as dangerous and inimical to the socioeconomic development of the nation, stressing we would unconditionally continue to support the fight against the dangerous trend.
Farouk commended the organisers of the event, describing it as timely and educative.
Earlier in his remarks, the President of the Daura NYSC Drug Free Club, Mr Mbalisike Stanley, said members were at the palace to inform the emir about the activities of the club in the area.
He described the cases of drug abuse among the youth as pathetic and dangerous to the health of the addicts, stressing that a reasonable percentage of mental challenges in the area was attributed to drug abuse.
Malam Sani Mohammed, an NDLEA official in the area, assured the emir that his office would not relent in arresting and prosecuting drug addicts and the barons.
He said the agency had created an operational synergy with the Nigerian customs on how to check the instances of importation, sales and consumption of controlled drugs and other narcotic substances.
NAN reports that the Daura emirate recently inaugurated a local committee that would check in cities and villages the instances of abuse in drugs. (NAN)
BKD/IA