By Oritogun Winifred Osekafore
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Niger State Command has paid a courtesy visit to the Federal University of Technology Minna.
The visit took place on 24 February, 2022, at the Council Chamber, Main Campus, Gidan kwano.
Speaking during the brief ceremony, Barr Haruna Kweteshe, State Commander, NDLEA, Niger State Command said the purpose of their visit is to partner with the University in the area of war against drug abuse. Adding that, Niger has been selected as the zonal headquarter of Kwara, Kogi and Niger.
Barr Kweteshe said the agency felt it necessary to seek partnership to carry out drug abuse campaign in the University after the ASUU strike which will go a long way in bringing sanity into the society.
The Commander added that with the partnership of the University, they will succeed with the campaign. As no one is safe, hence the need to join hands in the campaign
He disclosed that, of recent they have made some arrest of students who are into drugs in the off campus. According to him some of them, looking at their future if prosecuted may end up worst than criminals. Hence, the DG in his gracious way of trying to help has given pardon to some of them.
In his response, the Vice – Chancellor, Prof Abdulahi Bala fsssn expressed appreciation to the team for coming. He applauded the agency for their good works saying that Nigeria has found itself in a situation that drug abuse and selling of drugs has become almost inevitable, giving the difficult state of the economy and also because the youths these days do not want to work but get rich quickly and live a very big life style without working for it.
He added that the University in recent times has seen signs of not only drug abuse but also drug dealing, which has led some students to become mentally unstable and attacking other students as a result of the use of these drugs.
Prof Bala further stated that the University has zero tolerance to such habit as most of these things are happening amongst the students living off campus, “that’s is why the Management is making efforts in trying to build additional hostel accommodation on the campus, to be able to monitor their activities to some extents. So with this sensitization many will be saved form going into that direction as many go into it without knowing it implications”, he said.
The VC thanked the agency for coming with such proposal as partnering with them will be of great help to the students.
Photos: Elijah Yisa