By Raphael Ekpang
Nigerian house of representatives has advocated the increase budgeting provision for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to enable it meet up with the task ahead of it.
The call became obvious when the House of Reps Committee chairman on Drugs and Narcotics Hon. Abass Aboworin Adigun allayed fears that if the agency is not empower to combat drugs offenders headlong, the future of the country will be in jeopardy.
The house Committee on Drugs and Narcotics made the call on Thursday in Abuja during an interacting session with the management of the agency on the way forward for it operation.
Also, the chairman noted that the only way the agency can be properly funded is to move it from the office of the special duty to the presidency where it funds would be coming directly from the presidency, saying it is the only way to improve the fight against drugs abuse.
Meanwhile, he joined his Committee members in commending the good job the agency under the former Lagos State military administrator is doing despite been under funded and urged the leadership of the agency to keep the fire burning pending when the bill to move the agency to presidency is passed by both chambers and forwarded to president Bola Ahmed Tinubu for accent.
He added that the house has already passed the bill, and expressed optimism that the red chambers will do same to enable the agency have more bites in the fight against drugs offenders.
According to the committee chairman, “My committee research has shown that we are in trouble in this country because most of the youths that will be the leaders of tomorrow are into drugs, and the worse is that some of the house wives are also into drugs. While their children are out there taking drugs their mothers are doing it right inside the homes which means such families are gone.
“Let it be for the record,the agency NDLEA has not been helped by the federal government of Nigeria. Why do I said so, like I said, I looked into their capital and overhead in 2022, 2023 and 2024 budget, there is nothing to ride home about, compare to other agencies and for that to change, the agency needs to move to the presidency” he said.
Meanwhile, the chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), while addressing the Committee made passionate appeal for the setting up of a special court to enable the agency expedite the process of prosecution and conviction of offenders as at when due.
He noted that as it is at the moment, prosecution of offenders and conviction is delayed because the regular courts are overwhelmed with several cases, as such the call for several adjournment for a case that should ordinarily be decided within three months, but ends up been delayed for years.
“For my agency to expedite action in the process of prosecution and conviction, we need a special court to handle our cases because the regular courts are overwhelmed with other cases as such delaying accelerated hearing on our cases.
“A case that ordinarily should ends within six months is been dragged for years because of several adjournment, so we are appealing that a special court is created for the agency to enable it fast tract the process of prosecution and conviction.
Marwa, noted that the task of educating the young ones on the dangers of drug abuse also rest squarely on the politicians. He added that politicians themselves are into drugs, therefore, they need to go back and educate their supporters on the need to stop taking drugs.
For emphasis Marwa said, “Our job at the agency is to make sure we denied people access to drugs.”
