NDLEA’s Chairman, Buba Marwa, urged for a robust effort to establish lasting alternative livelihoods for those engaged in illegal drug trafficking. Speaking at an NDLEA Special Purpose Committee meeting in Abuja focused on Nigeria’s Alternative Development project, Marwa emphasized the necessity for collaboration among stakeholders to eradicate trafficking and shield communities from exploitation by drug syndicates.
He highlighted that offering sustainable alternative livelihoods to illicit drug traffickers could effectively curb illicit drug production and trade within the country.
“Now that they are fast losing ground in the illicit drug business as a result of heavy clamp down on them, they may go into other crimes.
“We, therefore, need to provide sustainable alternative means of engaging them so that we do not recycle illicit drug dealers in the world of crime,” he said.
Marwa acknowledged crop substitution and education as important tools that would be employed by the agency as part of the Alternative development programme.
“In our efforts to provide people-centered sustainable and legitimate alternatives to illicit drugs, we will set up structures to provide education to the people on the dangers that illicit drug cultivation and production pose to the security and the environment,” he said.
Marwa, who was represented by his Special Adviser on National Drug Control Master Plan, Lanre Ipinmisho, said illicit drug cultivation and production are threatening national and global security and affect the natural ecosystem.
