By Olumide Banjo
Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, has called for a tough penalty for drug offenders in the country.
Speaking at a recent conference, he said: “One of the reasons why the drug trade has remained attractive to criminals is the light sentences passed on most drug convicts.
“In order to put an end to this trend, we are seeking an amendment of the NDLEA Act to impose stiffer penalties for drug culprits. The greatest impetus to committing crime is the hope of escaping punishment. We must therefore guide against it.”
The NDLEA boss assured the gathering that Nigeria was winning the drug war, stressing that the agency would continue to work tirelessly for a drug and crime-free society.
“We sincerely appreciate the collaborative efforts of our stakeholders, both local and foreign. On our part, we shall deepen our relationship with all partners, especially in the areas of exchange of information, capacity building and joint operations,” he stressed.
Giade said the agency has committed much resource to the anti-narcotic campaign, adding that the agency recently lost two operatives to an ambush organised by a drug baron in Delta State.
In his remarks at the occasion, Lagos State Commander of NDLEA, Wesley Mikalla, described hard drug as any substance, other than food which has the capacity to alter or affect the mood, pyschology, physiology or morphology of the human body.
“They are also herbal, chemical and synthetic preparations that are intended to have health implications on users,” he added.
Mikalla divided drugs into two: Licit and illicit drugs.
He explained that “licit drugs are conventional drugs administered in the process of treatment with cure in mind or for disease prevention, while illicit drugs are those that have capacity to alter mood or affect the thought process of the user.
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