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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Lafiagi to address UN on drug trafficking
IN recognition of Nigeria's role in the war against drug trafficking, the United Nations (UN) has invited the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman, Alhaji Bello Lafiagi, to address the body.
Lafiagi is to address the world body next week on how to effectively tackle the menace of illicit drug in Africa.
The NDLEA chief also disclosed to journalists at the weekend in Lagos that the country would in November host meeting of drug agencies around the world in Abuja.
This is by virtue of its position as the head of the International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC).
Lafiagi stressed that his invitation by the UN was due to the country's leading role in the war against drug trafficking in the West Africa sub-region, Africa and the world.
He pointed out that Nigeria, through the efforts of the agency, had become the focal point and force to mobilise other African groups in fighting the drug war.
The October 8 UN address, according to him, will touch on efforts being made by African countries to eradicate drug trafficking in their areas.
It will also serve as a forum to review the implementation of the two resolutions he has sponsored on how the UN can assist Africa with alternative programmes to production of cannabis in the continent.
He explained that his election as the first black African to head the world drug enforcement conference in Panama last year was a great honour for Nigeria.
"Nigeria's elevation to this high profile position among the comity of nations came about as a result of the NDLEA's efforts at home, sub-regional and regional levels in pushing for the total eradication of drug abuse in Africa," he said.
The NDLEA chairman stated that the country's counter-narcotics excellence has led to the certification of the country by the United States of America (USA) for four years.
Other benefits for Nigeria as a result of its efforts in tackling the drug menace, according to Lafiagi, include:
Giving the breakdown of the seizures of drugs, arrests and convictions offenders from 2001 to 2004, he said 89.273kg of cocaine were seized in 2001, 35.347kg in 2002 and 134.742 in 2003 while 98.875kg was seized between January and August 2004.
Heroin of about 34.950kg was seized in 2001, 55.626 (2002), 89.579 (2003) and 48.920kg from January to August this year.
Cannabis which was being cultivated in the country has the highest quantities of seizures with 531, 215.491kg seized in 2001, 506,846.09 (2002) and 371,991.70kg in 2003.
He said 497.25 hectares of cannabis were destroyed by the agency in 2001, 502.30 hectares in 2002 and 455.50 hectares in 2003 while a total drugs seized in 2004 was put at 48,042.41kg.
The breakdown of drug suspects arrested showed that 2,855 suspects were arrested in 2001, 2,657 (2002), 2,490 (2003) and 2,082 in 2004 while about 2,857 convictions were recorded within the period.
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