Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has stated that legislators will continue to support the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in its fight against drug abuse.
According to a statement released on Friday, the Speaker made the commitment when the state commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Ralph Igwenagu, accompanied personnel from the agency to Obasa for a visit.
The Speaker expressed the expectation that a united front against the social challenge would aid in the long-term maintenance of a secure and well-protected Lagos.
He stated he was not surprised that Lagos has been labeled as one of the country’s epicenters of drug consumption, claiming that with the influx of individuals from other states, this was to be expected.
“I am not surprised that Lagos has been rated number one. Lagos has become an abode for everybody – the good and the bad – and this has become a challenge to the government.
“That is why it is difficult for the Lagos Government to project. When you project for a certain number of people this year, before you know it, more than three times your projection will enter the state.
“That is why we make efforts to support the Federal Government by equipping the Rapid Response Squad. We also set up the Security Trust Fund, the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and others to ensure that lives and property are protected,”
The Speaker went on to say that stakeholder participation was critical because the harmful impacts of drug misuse affect everyone, whether directly or indirectly.
He said that some people who abuse drugs also engage in criminal activity, and that if the problem of drug abuse could be addressed, crime would decrease.
The Speaker thanked NDLEA officers for attending a recent stakeholders’ meeting hosted by the House to educate communities about the dangers of drug misuse.
Earlier, Igwenagu commended the House for hosting the Stakeholders’ meeting, claiming that it assisted in reaching the state’s grassroots.
“We want to request that you sustain that exercise. We know that with you, it is possible because members of the House of Assembly are grassroots politicians and can reach out to the youths.”
He acknowledged that Lagos faces its fair share of drug abuse difficulties in Nigeria, adding that the NDLEA would continue to cooperate with the House to guarantee that drug abuse instances continue to decline.
