TheCable

Buba Marwa, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says 18, 940 drug traffickers were arrested in the last 18 months

The NDLEA boss said not less than 12, 326 drug addicts were counselled, treated and rehabilitated within the same time frame.

Marwa reeled out the figures on Thursday during a drug awareness conference organised by the Initiative Against Addiction and  Substance Abuse (IAASAN) and the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) in partnership with NDLEA.

He said the NDLEA has realised there is a strong nexus between illicit drugs and the spate of insecurity in the country.

“Today, the public is familiar with NDLEA’s arrests, prosecutions, convictions and seizures. We are doing much more behind the scene. We are scaling up efforts for the prevention, treatment, care and rehabilitation of drug-dependent individuals in our facilities,” he said. 

“In this regard, we have counselled, treated and rehabilitated not less than 12, 326 in the past 18 months.

“In collaboration with the support of UNODC, we have launched standard guidelines for our counselling in all our centres.”

Marwa said the agency has inaugurated a drug abuse call centre with a toll-free helpline — 0800-1020-3040 — where drug users, their families or employers can call in for help and are offered teletherapy services by certified professionals.