The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed concern over the rising trend of drug use among youths, stating that it is a significant contributor to criminal behavior.
Meanwhile, Search for Common Ground, Nigeria, has urged the government to intensify efforts to address criminality in the Niger Delta region. The organization’s State Level Peace Architecture (SPA) project in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States has shown promising results, but more needs to be done to tackle the issue.
The NDLEA’s warning comes as the Niger Delta region continues to grapple with high levels of criminality, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and cultism. The agency’s concerns highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the root causes of criminal behavior, including drug use.
This came during the maiden meeting in Port Harcourt on Community-Centred Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta tagged “Fostering Inclusive Community Security Approaches to Address Systemic Drivers of Violence and Criminality” which was organised by SCG, PIND, EU, SDN and AAPW.
Speaking, the Deputy Commander in charge of Operations and Training, NDLEA, Rivers State Command, Emmanuel Ogbungbada, reiterated that the major driver of criminality was drug, regretting a surge in its use.
He said: “Major driver of crime is drug. There is high level of crime because of the level of drug abuse. We are calling on members of the public to provide us with useful information that will help us reduce this menace to its barest minimum.
“We need information that will help us crack down on those involved and we will protect the identity of those who will volunteer useful information to us.”
He called for the establishment of state owned drug rehabilitation centre, adding that the facility would provide better opportunity for treatment of victims.
He said: “We are advising Search for Common Ground to make efforts to reach out to the state government to see how they can build a state owned drug rehabilitation centre.
“The facility we have can only contain 30 people and it is for only males. We don’t have female treatment facility that is why we usually refer people to UPTH and others.
“If government can build a rehabilitation centre, it will go a long way in addressing the number of issues around drug and its effect.”
However, the Project Coordinator of the EU Projects in PIND, Aniekan Achibong, said the meeting was timely, calling on government to implement effective measures in tackling criminality in the region.
Meanwhile, the Country Director of SCG, Fatima Madaki, said the project was community centred, adding that it is aimed at reducing violent crime in Niger Delta communities.
She said: “The project is a community centred approach to address criminality and violence. We have structures that are embedded in the community level, local government level as well as state level where the issues are analysed and solutions proffered by the community.
“It is impressive to see that issues around drug abuse has come up and how that further exacerbate violence to conflict in the community. How land dispute is increasing divisions in communities. We are also seeing child trafficking. All of these affect the people.”
While noting some of the challenges impeding the success of crime fighting, Madaki urge the government to build facilities to supplement efforts made by non-governmental organisations.
She said: “Insecurity is on the increase across the country and as practitioners, what we are seeing is that the dynamics are changing. It is a very fluid environment that needs due attention to addressing the challenges.
We want to see government supplementing our efforts because they have the core responsibility to ensure security provided in communities. They have the responsibility to ensure that facilities are provided in communities to build peace architecture and sustain it over time.
“The government has all it takes to be responsive. On behalf of all the communities across Nigeria, we are advocating for government to give attention to resource and structures in building peace across Nigeria.”