NATIONAL DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RESTRUCTURED INTO 37 STATE COMMANDS

LAGOS -- CHAIRMAN of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),
Alhaji Bello Lafiaji yesterday in Lagos announced the delineation of the
Agency into 37 state commands made up of the 36 states and Abuja in a major
restructuring that will enable the agency to be in all the nooks and
crannies of the Federation.

Alhaji Lafiaji said that nine special Area Commands made up of Murtala
Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja have been established. Others are the five
major seaports: Tin Can Island Port, Apapa Warf, Warri Port, Calabar Port,
NPA and Onne Port, both in Port Harcourt, while Seme and Idiroko land
borders are now two separate special Area Commands. Top-level officers of
the agency have been appointed to serve as State and Special Area
Commanders respectively.

The Chairman said that the restructuring was in line with the need to
expand the status, scope and coverage of the Agency's operations because
according to him, "under the former zonal structure, the impact of the
agency could only be felt, very much directly, by the immediate states
where the zonal headquarters of the agency were located leaving out the
remaining states that made up the zone not being thoroughly combed".

"We cannot remain in one state and launch an offensive to the other states
and the hinterlands and expect to have the desired result. Besides, we need
to expand the scope of coverage in view of the fact that the problem of
drug abuse and illicit trafficking is becoming more extensive and
intensive, especially the locally produced drugs like Cannabis and other
additive substances such as rubber solution and lizard faeces.

"It is not enough for us to be arresting Cocaine and Heroin whereas our
children are getting hooked to these locally produced drugs and additives.
The previous zonal arrangement did not make it possible for NDLEA's
physical presence to be felt in all localities. Greater attention is paid
to zonal headquarters whereas we feel attention should be paid to all the
states of the Federation".