Posted by Politicians who provide drugs to adolescents or use them to intimidate opponents have been cautioned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, or NDLEA, to stop doing so or face the full weight of the law.
The agency, according to Abubakar Idris Ahmad, the Kano State Commander, will not sit back and watch irresponsible politicians incite violence during the next 2023 elections.
On Thursday, during the NDLEA’s Kano State Command headquarters’ annual press briefing, he brought up this subject in response to inquiries from newsmen.
“There are some unpatriotic politicians that willfully deploy drugged adolescents against their political rivals. He said, “The Command will see to it that it confronts individuals involved in the ongoing electoral processes and ensures the election is peaceful.
He added that the command is working to stop the illegal trade in the state and that it has confiscated drugs worth N1.2 billion in Kano.
He stated earlier in his speech that the fight against drug abuse is complex and that everyone must pitch in if we are to win.
Fighting the drug epidemic calls on everyone’s cooperation. To conclude, I urge the state government and other important stakeholders to support our continued efforts to fulfill our legal obligations in handling supply and demand reduction initiatives.
The link between drugs and crime in general cannot be overemphasized, therefore as we get closer to the general election in 2023, we will continue to fight for a peaceful election to support a long-lasting culture of peace in the state.
I want to stress unequivocally that there is no crime without drugs, thus reducing the state’s drug problem will make it easier for police to conduct operations before, during, and after the election.
The Kano command further disclosed that a total of 1,078 suspects had been detained, including 951 men and 127 women. Additionally, the command made a total seizure of 8,386.73kg of illegal drugs in 2022.
Out of the 172 individuals who were charged with drug-related crimes in Kano that year, the command secured 113 convictions.