Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has called for a review of sentencing guidelines to compel convicted drug offenders to engage in community service.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the commissioning of 46
operational vehicles for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),
Fagbemi said such measures could deter others from engaging in illicit drug
activities.
“Those who are convicted of a criminal offence involving an
illicit drug usage and sentenced to hard labour should be taken to their local
government or village to do this hard work. It may be another point that we
should consider very seriously, and maybe this will deter them,” he said.
“When you see somebody who has been dealing in illegal drugs
and you ask him to pick papers or wash toilets, that may also be a deterrent.”
Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, described the procurement of the
vehicles as “symbolic and historic”, adding that it is the first time in the agency’s
35-year history that official cars have been provided for commanders.
The new fleet, 36 Mecanno SUVs and 10 Mecanno executive
sedans, will be deployed to directors, zonal commanders, and state commanders
across the country.
Marwa linked drug abuse to Nigeria’s security challenges,
stating that kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism, insurgency, and cult
violence are “all fuelled by illicit substances”.
He said between January 2024 and June 2025, the agency
seized over 1 billion pills of Tramadol, 14.4 million bottles of codeine, 5.5
million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs, destroyed 700 hectares of
cannabis farms, and arrested 40,887 offenders.
“Every ground seized, every suspect arrested, every drug
user rehabilitated contributes to building a safer and healthier Nigeria,” he
said.
Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff, praised the
NDLEA’s transformation “from a dormant to a frontline organisation”, noting
that the armed forces would continue collaborating in the fight against
narcotics.
“All these bandits, terrorists, insurgents cannot operate
without taking illegal drugs, and your ability to curtail and reduce this has
assisted us in improving security,” he said.
Adebowale Adedokun, director-general of the Bureau of Public
Procurement (BPP), commended the agency for its “transparency” in acquiring the
vehicles.
“NDLEA, for me, is an
example for other agencies of government. We can testify to you that these
vehicles have gone through standardisation and they are fit for purpose,” he
said.
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