The Kwara State National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Command has pledged to enhance their participation in sports events as a way to combat drug abuse and child trafficking.
Bashir Ibrahim, the Commander of NDLEA in Kwara, pledged during a visit by the state chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in Ilorin.
Ibrahim explained that the decision was made due to the difficulties encountered in combating drug traffickers in the state. Emphasizing the threat it poses to sports, he highlighted that young people are at a higher risk of falling into drug abuse.
“NDLEA plans to increase their presence at sporting events to combat the rising issue of drug abuse among athletes.
“Young people often romanticize drug use, and the situation is made worse when adults, such as coaches and handlers of athletes, supply them with drugs.
He mentioned that they had just successfully prosecuted a coach for distributing drugs to the young athletes he was responsible for.
He stated that there is a growing trend of drug abusers and athletes using and distributing synthetic cannabis, which is an altered version of Indian hemp. He noted an increase in the involvement of women in the distribution of banned substances like synthetic cannabis, “loud”, and “Colorado”.
Ibrahim pointed out that, according to data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Kwara had a 13 percent prevalence of drug trafficking, the highest in the North-Central region of the country.
He said,” The information provided by the UNODC is outdated as it was published in 2018 and statistical data are typically updated every five years, making the task of enforcing drug laws difficult,”
