Drug Barons Funding Terrorists And Bandits - Senator Ahmad Lawan Says

 

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday, said drug barons in the country provide terrorist groups like Boko Haram as well as bandits and kidnappers with arms and ammunitions to undertake criminal activities in Nigeria.

Lawan stated this known when the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), paid a visit to his office on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja.

He said drug traffickers have made Nigeria a major transit route for plying the illicit trade, which he said was responsible for the rise in criminality in the country.

Lawan said, “The National Assembly contributors are nearly on a each day interaction with our ingredients and we recognise the very debilitating impact of drug abuse in our diverse groups.

“You have rightly said almost each community in this u . S . Suffers from drug dependancy. So, we are very conscious of what's happening.

“I believe that this organization wishes restructuring. Now that you have taken over, we should move the entire haul to restructure the business enterprise, not piece meal touches, due to the fact we need to get it proper.

“My non-public opinion is that NDLEA have to be in the league of EFCC, ICPC, and therefore, the type of assist that the ones two organizations I mentioned get hold of, you need to get hold of some thing like that, in addition to many different matters that you need to be supported with.

“So, the National Assembly will honestly paintings with you, we will associate with you, and will ensure that we do our first-rate to offer you the sort of support with the intention to allow you nicely to discharge your mandate.

“Having stated this, allow me say that Nigeria as a country is in one way or the opposite a transit route for drugs.

“Drug peddlers skip their tablets thru Nigeria – hashish, heroin and likely even cocaine.

“We agree with that this has to stop, due to the fact the proceeds of such sports fund terrorism, they fund banditry, you surprise how the bandits have RPGs and those big arms that they have.

“Definitely, those are a few acquisition furnished by using a few barons, now not the bandits themselves.

“So, we want to make sure that this transit position that Nigerians plays is addressed well. And right here we ought to method this via multi-sectoral efforts – the Customs, Immigration Service, our Security Agencies, and in reality, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and our seaports.

“Of path, this is not going to be clean, however we must be steadfast and we must do something is viable without the restricted assets we must make you better.”

Earlier, NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, in an cope with delivered stated the Ninth Senate has “displayed exceptional interest, competence, aid and attempt” at the overview of the NDLEA Act.

According to Marwa, the visit became intended to “call for urgent intervention from the Senate President”, warning that, “Nigeria is in a country of siege today.”

Marwa raised the alarm that the drug dependancy scourge become largely chargeable for acts of criminalities which has pervaded all elements of the u . S . A ., and the outcome witnessed within the spate of insecurity these days.