TheCable

Lanre Ipinmisho, former director-general of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says nobody should be spared in the fight against drug trafficking. 

While speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Thursday, Ipinmisho said every offender should be treated the same way, no matter the social standing.

“Constantly, anywhere you have drugs even if it is the imam or the Pope that is in charge, try and lift the lantern for the coin you are looking for once in a while. There should be no assumptions,” he said.

“Drugs corrupt. If about 15 million Nigerians have taken drugs one time or another and over three million are addicts and they keep recurring, not to talk of those in the south or Lagos then it is serious.

“The drug situation has gotten to a point where nobody is to be spared. Forget about the position, whether you are a minister or a high ranked person let there be prosecution. Drugs are not something we should play around with as well as weapons or unaccounted money. “

Speaking on DCP Abba Kyari’s case, Ipinmisho said he is happy the police are cooperating and feels disappointed that Kyari could be involved in drug-dealing.

“I am happy with the consistency of the police because they took the matter seriously. To have carried out operations even while on suspension, Kyari took the police for granted to have gone far and it is because he is been getting away too much,” Ipinmisho said.

“This is a classical case where we stand for our country and not police or agencies. The NDLEA chairman has said if there is anyone involved in the case, it should be brought forward and the officer will be prosecuted.”