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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

No hiding place, Edo gov declares zero tolerance for drug traffickers

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo declared zero tolerance for drug trafficking and abuse.
  • The government and NDLEA emphasized innovative and collaborative approaches to combat drug challenges.
  • Efforts include youth empowerment programs and community-based anti-drug education.

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has declared a zero-tolerance policy for drug traffickers, vowing to make the state an inhospitable environment for illicit substances. Speaking at an event commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Okpebholo, represented by his aide Andrew Efe, stressed the need for innovative justice delivery to counter criminal ingenuity.

When drug traffickers think they are clever in crime, we will make them understand that we are more innovative in justice delivery. Edo State will not be safe for drug trafficking and substance abuse. If you bring drugs into this state, we will find you. We will seize your drugs, and you will face the full weight of the law. There will be no hiding place and no sacred cow.

— Andrew EfeRepresenting Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, Efe declared the state's zero-tolerance policy on drug trafficking.

"If you bring drugs into this state, we will find you. We will seize your drugs, and you will face the full weight of the law. There will be no hiding place and no sacred cow," Efe stated, conveying the governor's firm stance. The governor highlighted that winning the war against drugs requires a collaborative effort, extending beyond government agencies to include families, schools, and religious institutions in anti-drug education.

The government and NDLEA cannot win this war alone. Prevention starts at home. Let us talk to our children at home, in churches and mosques. Schools and faith institutions should make anti-drug education part of the moral curriculum.

— Andrew EfeEfe emphasized the need for community involvement in preventing drug abuse.

The Edo State government is also investing in youth empowerment and skills development programs. These initiatives aim to foster productive entrepreneurship, create wealth, and contribute to the state's economy, offering alternatives to illicit activities. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) commander in Edo State, Mitchell Ofoyeju, detailed the command's mid-year achievements, including the arrest of 289 suspected traffickers and the seizure and destruction of over 35,000 kilograms of drugs, primarily cannabis.

We cannot ignore the push factors of ignorance, poverty, unemployment, and peer pressure that drive many of our youth toward drugs.

— Mitchell OfoyejuThe Edo State NDLEA Commander highlighted socio-economic factors contributing to drug abuse.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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