President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged heads of national drug law enforcement agencies in African countries to consolidate the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
He made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while declaring open the 31st meeting of the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa (HONLAF).
The president, in his keynote address titled, ‘Rising Above the Drug Threat’, warned vehemently that Africans would remain in chains till they break free from the shackles of the criminal enterprises of drug barons and syndicates of illicit drugs.
Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the event, observed that Africa was at the mercy of a threat that knows neither race nor geography, neither gender nor social class.
He said; “If we don’t dismantle the criminal enterprises that threaten our future and build a brighter tomorrow for all Africans, we will likely remain in chains in a diseased and amoral world, as will our children and their children.
“This threat has crossed borders and destroyed societies and dreams. Without the moral commitment of the people in this room, this threat would have left cities, countries, and even civilizations erased. So, I must commend you for your sacrifices in the bids to keep our world drug-free, sane and safe.
“This conference emphasizes your investment across borders to protect us from the devastations of drugs, a threat that only submits to the enforcement of the law.
“Therefore, we are grateful to HONLAF and its partners, notably the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for creating this avenue, for offering intelligence and drug law enforcement officials a grand opportunity to compare notes, collaborate, and build networks that would be several steps ahead of the criminal network of drug transnational organizations.
“But while it’s a compliment that drug-law enforcement organizations are a threat to their criminal empires, their desperation must never be taken for granted.”
