First-class monarch, the Ona of Abaji and chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of Chiefs, Abuja, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa has directed the immediate implementation of a drug integrity test policy that will ensure intending couples present a certificate of fitness before being joined in holy matrimony.
The royal father gave the directive to the chief imam of Abaji and his council of chiefs when the chairman and the chief executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) paid him a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy visit at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Marwa, in his remarks, congratulated the monarch on his 25th anniversary on the throne and on upholding the tradition and culture of his kingdom. He commended the royal father for his unflinching support for NDLEA and the fight against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
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He said, “The traditional institution is a very important stakeholder because the traditional institution exists across every part of our society, all the way to the grassroots. It is for this reason, that we would like to appeal to his Royal Highness who already has been at the forefront of tackling drug abuse to continue and intensify these efforts to set up a WADA committee in Abaji kingdom that will report directly to him and down to the small communities.
In his response, the Ona of Abaji said prior to Marwa’s assumption of office, the drug menace in Nigeria has become a huge problem ravaging “many of our young men and women including couples who were supposed to be enjoying their marital lives. Your coming on board as the head of NDLEA has brought some succour.”
As a mark of honour and to further encourage the NDLEA boss, the monarch conferred on him the chieftaincy title of Santuraki of Abaji Kingdom and promised to promote the drug integrity test advocacy of the agency in addition to other ongoing drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.