Ekiti State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has called on the security agencies and other stakeholders to partner with the agency in its fight against drug abuse in the State.
Ekiti News reports that Aina Rufus, the state commander, made the appeal in Ado-Ekiti during the Live Free Project organised by the Kayode Adamolekun Foundation under the theme: “It Takes a Village: Collective Responsibility For Lasting Change.”
The state commander, expressing concern over the high incidence of substance abuse among youths in the state, noted that violent tendencies exhibited by youths are often a result of the intake of illicit drugs.
Rufus further emphasized that the issue of drug abuse was becoming overwhelming for the government. Hence, there is a critical need for collaboration among security agencies, as well as individual and group efforts to curb this menace.
The NDLEA boss praised the foundation for its continuous efforts in combating drug abuse among youths, particularly through the sensitization of students about the dangers associated with drug abuse.
Engr. Kayode Adamolekun, the founder of the Kayode Adamolekun Foundation, advocated for stricter penalties for drug abusers. He supported the bill proposing the death penalty for individuals found guilty of trading or consuming hard drugs.
Adamolekun said: “I can’t wait to see the President assent his signature. That bill must be signed into law. If there are no peddlers and sellers, nobody will buy. If we leave people who are selling in the industry and we want to keep chasing people in the rural areas, we are not going to succeed. If we deal with the source, then we would have gone halfway in dealing with the issue of drugs in our society. It was a fantastic news.
“It’s simply doing our best to contribute to the society we belong and to see the kind of country we desire and there is nothing more than that. Sometimes, if you do a programme and one person gets the message, you have done well. We are seeing results and sometimes it may take years for us to see the result of what we are doing en masse but I know we are changing our society.
“We keep blaming our representatives, governors, and Presidents. What are you doing to change the narrative? My appeal to our youths is that we should not allow the situation of the country to weigh us down. Let us arise and do our bid to change the country. We can be great. I employ all the youths to rise to the responsibility.”