NDLEA partners Police, PCRC in fight against drug abuse in Rivers

•Takes campaign to state owned varsity

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has cautioned youths in Rivers State and Nigeria in general against the use of illicit drugs.

NDLEA Deputy Zonal Commander of Drug Demand Reduction in Zone N, Port Harcourt, Rosemary Ajuzie, also advised young Nigerians to desist from taking illicit drugs as it will only expose them to danger and lead them to crime.

Ajuzie gave the advise yesterday at a one day sensitisation campaign tagged; “War Against Drug Abuse” organised in collaboration with Police in the State and the state chapter of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Rivers State University in Port Harcourt.

The NDLEA Boss, while addressing newsmen at the event, said the programme was put in place to ensure an illicit drug free society.

She said, “What we are going to achieve is that the populace will know the importance of drug free life in the society and they we be educated to know how to fight drug menace in our society so that our society will be free of drug abuse and trafficking.

“Most people that take hard drugs are into criminalities. Most of them without the influence of drugs cannot have that heart to do what they want to do but the moment they take the drugs it will influence them to do whatever they want to do.

“Hard drugs goes with crime. There is no human being that will stand up and say I want to cause violence or commit crime, it always goes with drug abuse.When they take the drug they are no longer in their senses,that is why they will do whatever they want to do.

“Most of them after doing all this, they will now regret. We have facility for drug dependent persons in every command. Even some states have their rehabilitation centre where we house the ones that are already addicted. We do counselling and rehabilitate them so that they can go back to the society to become useful to the society”

She adviced the management of the institution to provide penalty for students who engage in drug abuse and also scrutinized people who sell on community as from experience,some of them may be involved in drug peddling.

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers CP Olatunji Disu represented by the 2iC, Police Public Relations department, Police headquarters Moscow Road, Epiekiri Firstman, said the use of drugs has been abused over time.

“Drug abuse is the use without prescription. One of the negative effects of drug abuse is that it leads to neglect of responsibility given to them. Drug addict are very hostile to people. Drug abuse can also disorganize your sense.

“The basic solution to drug abuse is abstinance.You should not take drugs without prescription.You need expert opinion of a Doctor before you take drugs even when you are ill”.

He stated that there is a nexus between crime and drugs abuse as people who abuse drugs always indulge in crime.

On his part, Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Rivers State Command, Voke Emore they are partnering with the NDLEA and the Police on the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).

His words, “We have done this last year the first edition was in Ignatius Ajuru University. This year we are doing it in Rivers State University (RSU)

“Now, the main aim is to ensure we catch them young, to ensure the students do not get into drug. What a good time to do this rally when people are also preparing for protest.

“This is also an avenue for us to share with the young ones to let them know they should not be involved in violent protest.

“We can all protest for what we are going through in the economy but as much as possible it should not be drug based or violent based” he said.

Emore further advised the students to abstain from hard drug as it can damage their health,career and future.