One Vehicle Available For War against Drug Trafficking In A’Ibom – NDLEA Laments
… As 47 Out Of 1,387 Convicted For Drug-Related Offense
By UbongAbasi Ise
Mrs. Obot Bassey, the Akwa Ibom State Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has taken another perspective in looking at the crises rocking the country currently, describing them as drug-based.
While welcoming the team of Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community that paid her a courtesy visit in Uyo recently, Mrs. Bassey expressed willingness of the command to work with the rights group in tackling challenges associating with drug-related offenses in the state.
But on challenges facing the Akwa Ibom State Command of NDLEA, the Deputy Commander, Fintan Bassey, disclosed that the problem of logistics has constituted major setback in the fight against drug trafficking, pointing that the command now gets one operational vehicle to cover the 31 local government areas of the state, thereby making their job difficult.
The deputy commander, who was regretting the killing of a young NDLEA officer in Itu local government area recently, condemned incessant attacks on the security operatives, called on the human rights organizations to also take up cases in support of the security personnel attacked while on duty.
Speaking on ways of stemming the tide of drug abuse in Akwa Ibom society, the state commander, Mrs. Obot Bassey, said plans are underway to engage the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as the chairmen of the local councils in setting in place intervention programme in the local communities, while inviting the Akwa Human Rights Community to be the part of the team and to join the command while celebrating the International Day Against Drug Abuse on June 26.
She also disclosed that to nip the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in the bud, there are initiatives such as random drug testing, proposal for Drug Free Clubs in all schools in the state as well as making the study of drug abuse an integral part of the school curriculum.
In his address, the coordinator of Akwa Ibom State Human Rights Community, Clifford Thomas Esq., expressed the readiness of the rights community to partner with the NDLEA in tackling drug-related cases. He called on the agency to work towards putting in place a State Drug Control Committee, while suggesting the inclusion of the civil society organizations as well as business concerns like pharmacies, patent medicine dealers and the members of the academia in the committee.
Speaking on International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking billed on every 26th June of the year, Thomas said such a day should be celebrated with impact, recommending the involvement of students, out-of-school youths, religious institutions, journalists, lawyers, pharmacists, patent medicine sellers, civil society groups, voluntary organizations and others in the celebration, adding that “this is the right time to achieve the results in our guest to win this war.”
As it would be recalled, the NDLEA State Commander, Mrs. Obot Bassey was on the Passion 94.5 FM Uyo on Thursday May 13, 2021, where she said about 1,387 suspects In Akwa Ibom had been arrested over time for various drug offenses with 47 being convicted, saying the speed of concluding trials solely lies with the court.
Barr. Clifford Thomas, who was also in the studio with the state commander, noted that courts are usually slow because they are inundated with several matters, stressing that there are no special courts for drugs. He was of the opinion that if there are special courts for drugs, it would have been faster and easier to determine cases either by way convicting or acquitting the suspects, adding that, “the justice delivery system is slow and it grinds very slowly because it is better to allow nine guilty persons to go according to the law than to convict one innocent person.”
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