The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Rivers State Command has called for the support of Nigerians in rehabilitation and combating the stigma and discrimination against victims of drug users.
Area Commander, Port Harcourt Ports Command, of the NDLEA, Mrs Stella Ngwoke, made the call in commemoration of the 2023 United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking in Onne Seaport in Rivers.
She described as apt the theme of the 2023 International Drug day with ”People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention” saying there was urgency for more awareness campaign.
Ngwoke stated the aim of the campaign was to combat stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs by promoting language and attitudes that are respectful and non-judgmental.
“The theme for this year’s commemoration is as topical as it is a humanitarian as it urges us to make the people the centrepiece of our drug control efforts.
“The misuse of psychoactive substances such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, as well as prescription medications exact tremendous toll on individuals, families, communities and societies has impacted negatively on public health,” she said.
Ngwoke stressed on the urgency in raising awareness about the importance of treating victims of drugs with respect and empathy, providing voluntary services for all, offering alternatives to punishment, prioritizing prevention and leading with compassion.
The NDLEA boss noted that the prevalence rate of the use of illicit drugs in the South-South is at 16.6 percent, with 2,124,000 people within the ages of 15 to 64 years.
She also stated the prevalence situation in Rivers as 15 percent of the said population estimated at 580,000 people, which called for concern and concerted efforts from all to tackle.
Ngwoke mentioned that the NDLEA under the administration of Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) had achieved major breakthroughs in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the country adding that the Port Harcourt Port Command Onne interdiction efforts had yielded a seizure of large drug shipment from Canada-cannabis indica (Canadian loud), weighing 76.9kg.
According to Ngwoke, the Command had also mop up operations around the port corridor with the dislodged and seizure of 23.1kg of cannabis sativa and arrested two suspects who have being charged to court.
She acknowledged the tremendous synergy and cordial relationship that exist between the Agency, the Nigeria Customs Service, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Port Authority, terminal operators, among others.
In her speech, the Keynote Speaker, Prof. Rosemary Ekechukwu, Director Counselling and Human Development Centre, University of Port Harcourt, urged the public to stop making critical statements to the drug abuse victims.
Ekechukwu who spoke on the ”Challenges of Stigmatisation of People Who Use Drugs”, stated that some of the challenges to include stigmatisation, strong desire to take the drug, difficulties in controlling its use, poverty and unemployment, decline of family values system, increase tolerance and physical withdrawal state, among others.
She advised agencies in control of illicit drugs trafficking and drug abuse to bring the drug traffickers to book and prosecute them to reduce the rate of influx of illicit drugs in the country.
In his speech, the Deputy Comptroller of the Nigerian Custom Service Onne, Cmptr. Ojike Iheanacho, who represented, the Area Comptroller of Area II Command Onne, Cmptr. Baba Imam, commended the NDLEA for its efforts in fight against illicit drug trafficking and drug users.
The Comptroller stated that Nigeria customs will continue to uphold the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the sister agency in combating illicit drug trafficking in the country.