RESPONSE TO DRUGS RELATED ORGANISED CRIME IN NIGERIA: UNODC PARTNERS KEBBI STATE, TRAINS TEACHERS AND COMMITTEE ON DRUGS ABUSE PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND CARE (DPTC)

RESPONSE TO DRUGS RELATED ORGANISED CRIME IN NIGERIA: UNODC PARTNERS KEBBI STATE, TRAINS TEACHERS AND COMMITTEE ON DRUGS ABUSE PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND CARE (DPTC)
The "Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crime in Nigeria" is a project implemented by UNODC in Nigeria with the overall goal to support the Government in its efforts to curb the production, trafficking and use of illicit drugs as well as prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, through improved interdiction and enforcement, prevention and treatment.
UNODC is partnering with Kebbi State Government in developing and improving legislation and coordination in pursuit of a balanced approach to drug control, with equal emphasis on drug demand and supply reduction.
The project also aims at improving law enforcement and regulatory capacity in drug control and in tackling organized drug-related crime, as well as to enhance drug prevention, treatment and care service provided by various actors.
Facilitated by a team including Mr Akanidonmu Ibanga, Mr Nkereuwem Ebiti and Mrs Uchechi Ekezie, the 3-day training, which comprised Government officials, Lawmakers, Security Agencies, Traditional and Religious leaders, NGOs, Youth and relevant representatives took the participants through the understanding of drug use, dependency, stigma. It also shed light on advocacy, treatment and laws.
In a related activity, the team also simultaneously conducted a 2day training for secondary school teachers from the 21 LGAs of Kebbi State under the Unplugged Schools Drug Prevention Program from Tuesday 10 to Wednesday 11/07/2021.
The Executive Governor of Kebbi State, H.E Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu who addressed the committee during the training thanked the UNODC as well as the facilitators for coming to further support the efforts of the committee and support the community with education and guidance to fight drug abuse. He expressed confidence in the committee whose chairman Ambursa, according to him, is a very concerned and involved member of the community.
Governor Bagudu also lamented that the purpose of the committee if not adequately communicated can draw negative attention to the state. He appealed to them to work diligently to deliver value while not drawing the unwanted attention to the community. Bagudu thanked the members for making themselves available for the cause and reiterated the Government’s commitment to sustain support to the committee in order to empower the schools and institutions to be vigilant enough to ward off drug abuse.
Speaking virtually at the training, the First lady of Kebbi state, Her Excellency Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu who also serves as the Patron of the Committee, identifies the committee as a capable one. She identified the Chairman, Ambursa as a man with a track record. Dr Bagudu Thanked the UNODC team for their services to the state and the State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for the support, the funding and the political will he has accorded the program. She assured of her assistance to push the cause.
In his remarks, Chairman of the committee, AIG Umar Ambursa, Appealed to the members of the committee to put heads together to put an end to Drugs Abuse in the state. He added that the committee is carried along and shall utilize what they have learned. While speaking to the teachers, Ambursa encouraged them to step down the training to their respective domains.
Also speaking, Mr Akanidonmu Ibanga said
Their presence in Kebbi is largely a result of her excellency’s dedication. He thanker her for her support and efforts to ensure that the program reaches the grassroots. He said that following an assessment, the level of level of education and awareness on Drugs was found out to be low and without uniformity hense the need for the training.
Mr Ibanga said the team is in Kebbi to work with the Drugs Prevention Taskforce committee, learn about the Drugs situation and share the global situation with them.
To mark the closing ceremony of the Teachers Training, each participant was presented a certificate and a desktop computer.
Muktar Abubakar Bagudo
Government House, Birnin Kebbi
11/07/2021