The Oyo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed deep concern over the increasing rate of illicit drug consumption, particularly among youths, in the state.
Mr. Olayinka Joe-Fadile, the Narcotics Commander for the Oyo State NDLEA Command, made the revelation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta. He spoke at the sidelines of the “Public Destruction of Drug Exhibits” held in Ipara town, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.
Joe-Fadile described the situation as alarming, citing the high consumption of Cannabis Sativa, which he said has now evolved into more potent and dangerous variants known as loud. He listed the different strains, including Scottish Loud, Canadian Loud, and Arizona Loud, noting that these are not only more dangerous but also more expensive than regular cannabis.
“These loud drugs are even more dangerous than Cannabis Sativa,” he said. “They are killing our youths gradually, painfully, and silently.”
He made a passionate plea to Nigerian youths to avoid drug abuse, stressing that the long-term effects are devastating.
“I am using this medium to appeal to the youths, who will become the country’s future leaders, to stay away from drugs,” he said. “You may think the drug is giving you inspiration now, but it will eventually kill slowly and painfully.”
Speaking on the collaborative efforts that led to the destruction of over 1.6 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs, Joe-Fadile noted that the exercise was made possible due to the strong synergy among various commands and security agencies.
“Each command used to burn its exhibits separately—Oyo would burn its own, Lagos would do the same, and so would Ogun. But today, the three states and some strategic commands came together to carry out the destruction jointly,” he explained.
He identified the participating commands as the Lagos Strategic Command, Ogun Command, Oyo State Command, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command, Lagos Seaports, Idiroko Border Command, and Seme Command, all operating under Zones 9 and 11.
Joe-Fadile reiterated the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling the growing drug menace and affirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguarding the health and future of the Nigerian youth.
