By Ife Osemedua
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it will go after owners and operators of supermarkets and confectionery selling cookies, biscuits and other products laced with illicit substances.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Rtd. Gen. Muhammad Buba Marwa, disclosed this while receiving further briefing on follow-up operations from NDLEA’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) commander, Mohammed Sokoto, over the arrest of a 300-level university student, Rhoda Agboje and her boyfriend, Ifeanyi Nwankwo.
The duo were arrested on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, for producing and selling cookies laced with drugs to school children, clubs and supermarkets in Abuja.
A statement signed by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Friday, April 23, in Abuja warned business owners to scrutinise their products so that they will not run contrary to the country’s laws against drugs.
The Chairman of NDLEA was quoted as saying: “The NDLEA will henceforth go after supermarkets as part of preventive measures.
“This include, clubs, confectionery and other outlets and their owners, selling cookies, biscuits, cakes and other products laced with illicit substances under whatever guise.
“We will not shy away from hitting their production spots, supply and sales outlets before they get into the hands of innocent schoolchildren, unsuspecting members of the public and even our vulnerable young men and women.
“We will not rest on this until we chase them out of this criminal business. This is why I want to seize this opportunity to warn owners and operators of supermarkets, clubs and other sales outlets to clean their stores of these illicit substances before we get to them, ” he said.
Giving more insight into the drug cookies trade he added that the cookies in Abuja laced with drugs were tagged ‘Function’, with its motto as “function right with every bite.”
He said that at the back of the package, the suspects tried to justify their illicit trade with the quote: “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seeds, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food.”
In another development, the Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Chindo-Yamusa III, has asked the NDLEA take over a rehabilitation centre being constructed in Keffi through community efforts.
According to NAN, the traditional ruler made the plea when he paid a courtesy visit with other leaders of his emirate to Marwa for his outstanding commitment to the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.
“We have come to plead with you to take over the rehabilitation centre we started as a first class drug treatment facility through private efforts in Keffi.
“We are doing this because we know the damage drugs can do to any nation. With proper funding, the centre can handle the rehabilitation needs of the entire North Central and even most parts of the North.
“If Keffi is at peace, Abuja will be at peace but if Keffi is on fire due to the menace of drug abuse, Abuja will equally be on fire due to its proximity to the FCT.”
In his response, the NDLEA chairman commended the Emir for his support to the crusade against drug abuse and assured him of NDLEA’s preparedness to work with him to rid his emirate of the drug scourge.
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