NAN
As part of efforts to address cases of drug abuse in Gombe State, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has set up a committee on drug control.
The agency’s state commandant, Mr Aliyu Adole said this at a pre-inaugural meeting of the State Drug Control Committee in Gombe on Thursday.
According to him, the pre-inaugural meeting is to enable members of the committee to brainstorm on ways to tackle drug situation in the state.
Adole said the committee had become necessary in order to engage more persons and organisations as key stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse.
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According to him, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe will chair the committee.
The NDLEA boss said that the high level of drug abuse in the state was alarming.
He said that the agency seized 256.52kgs of drugs between January and October.
“We are setting up a Drug Control Committee as directed by the headquarters, to address the alarming cases of drug abuse in Gombe.
“The committee will be chaired by Gov. Dankwambo.
“This committee will engage more stakeholders by involving persons from different organisations and the media to make the fight a collective one in view of the dangers of drug abuse on our youths.
“ So far, in the year 2018, over 52 males had been arrested, out of which 30 convictions had been secured and 22 are awaiting trials’’, Adole said.
Mr Hussaini Dan-Gombe, the Deputy Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Gombe State Ministry of Information, pledged the support of the ministry toward sensitising the public on the effects of drug abuse on the youth.
Dan-Gombe emphasised the need for a collaborative approach to tackle the menace in the state.
Also speaking, Mr Abdussalam Mohammed, the Acting Director, Public Prosecution, Gombe State Ministry of Justice, stressed the need for the enactment of specific laws to address issues of drug abuse in the states.