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NDLEA targets 140 million Nigerians for online drug education

By Odita Sunday
30 June 2015   |   11:53 pm
THE Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Ahmadu Giade has disclosed that the Agency is perfecting strategies to provide quality anti-drug abuse preventive education to over 140 million Nigerians.

Ahmadu Giade THE Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Ahmadu Giade has disclosed that the Agency is perfecting strategies to provide quality anti-drug abuse preventive education to over 140 million Nigerians.

The NDLEA is targeting over 140 million active telephone subscribers as well as Internet users for online sensitization. The move is aimed at enhancing the drug demand reduction functions of the anti-narcotics body, thereby striking a balance between drug law enforcement and drug demand reduction.

According to Giade: “Beyond the enforcement duties of the Agency which includes arrest of drug suspects, drug seizures and prosecution, NDLEA through the drug demand reduction component is committed to public enlightenment, counseling, treatment and rehabilitation programmes.”

“ The anti-drug agency has introduced Multi-Media Drug Control Initiative to educate and provide help to victims of drug abuse.

These include various online couselling platforms like Twitter @ndlea_nigeria, Instagram @ndlea_nigeria, and e-mail ddr@ndlea.gov.ng. We also have toll free lines 080000NDLEA, 08000063532 that members of the public can use to contact us,” he added. The NDLEA boss called on members of the public to take advantage of the initiative adding that it was an online information desk where people can access to ask questions and seek help on any issue relating to substance use.

The Multi-Media Drug Control Initiative was developed based on emerging global trend in drug abuse and illicit trafficking and the desire to reach out to a large number of youths through the social media.

At the official presentation of this Multi-Media platform on the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking; Dr. Martin Agwogie who is a drug abuse counselor with the agency highlighted some of the objectives of the initiative. They include provision of factual information about the consequences of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, increase access to professional drug counselling services and eliminating distance barrier to accessing help for drug use.

Others include encouraging drug users to seek help from NDLEA counselling centres nationwide without fear of arrest or detention and to provide referral services on complex cases. This laudable initiative is expected to further broaden the horizon of drug control efforts in Nigeria.

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