UN ECONOMIC COUNCIL RE-ADMITS NIGERIA

Nigeria has been re-admitted into the UN Economic Council, following
satisfactory performance on its war against drug, the Chairman,
National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiagi,
has said.

Lafiagi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday that
Nigeria's re-admission into the council followed the agency's
successes on drug war both in the country and West African sub-region.

He said the agency currently coordinates the sub-regional drug war
involving the 13 west African countries.

"Considering the fact that drug war could not be won in isolation, the
NDLEA initiated the West Africa Joint Operation (WAJO), to galvanise
the 13 West African countries to work together with a common goal,"
he said.

The chairman noted that the NDLEA Training Academy in Jos had been
upgraded to train officers across the West African sub-region.

He said the UN had committed $5 million in addition to $2 million
counterpart funding by Nigeria to develop the academy into a regional
training centre.

On money laundering, Lafiagi said three banks had been prosecuted by
the agency, "while a good number were being investigated to ascertain
the level of each in the crime".

The agency had, in the last two years, impounded drugs with street
value of up to N40 billion.

Lafiagi, who advised parents and guardians to dissuade their children
and wards from drug abuse, urged states and local governments in the
country to support the agency in its efforts to make the country drugs-free.

He thanked President Olusegun Obasanjo, members of the National
Assembly and the international community for their support and
collaborative efforts in the war against illicit drugs.