214 drug suspects arrested in Gombe– NDLEA

According to the Gombe State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, 214 people were detained for drug-related offences in the state between January and July.

Additionally, methamphetamine, 257.5 kg of psychoactive drug, and 93.95 kg of cannabis sativa were all taken from the suspects during the time period under investigation.

Mr. Bello Mumini, the agency's state deputy commander on narcotics, said this at an event held by the Association of Professional Counsellors in Nigeria on Monday, according to The News Agency of Nigeria.

When he gave his paper, titled "Drug Abuse Situation in Gombe State," Mumini stated that there were 214 suspects, 200 of whom were men and 14 of whom were women.

He said that out of the 214 arrests, 137 had been brought to justice, and 30 convictions had been obtained.

The NDLEA official lamented the state's increasing rate of drug and substance misuse, noting that the pattern and trend transcended age, gender, and social class.

The fact that so many women had been identified as drug users in the state, according to him, was alarming.

He added that it was disheartening that despite the state's high rate of drug misuse, the NDLEA rehabilitation facility was not being fully employed.

He said, “The NDLEA rehabilitation centre is functional but not being utilised as it ought to.

“We have a 24-bed capacity but the highest we get is seven clients undergoing rehabilitation.

“This is why I am appealing to the state government and other partners to support the centre and sponsor clients towards their effective rehabilitation.”

Mumini applauded APROCON for starting a campaign against drug misuse and educating young people about the risks associated with using drugs and other substances.

Dr. Habiba Isah, the chairwoman of APROCON, stated that drug usage had developed into a threat that should worry all stakeholders due to its detrimental effects on adolescents.

She claimed that in order to engage young people and deter them from using illegal substances, her group had started a campaign against the problem and will soon visit several chosen tertiary campuses in the state.

Isah, who also serves as the department head for educational foundations at the faculty of education at Gombe State University, asked parents to watch out for their kids and keep them safe from drugs.

Source