LASTMA, NDLEA strengthen alliance to tackle drug abuse
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Lagos unit, have strengthened an alliance to tackle drug abuse and its implications on road safety.
This was made known when the Assistant Commander General, Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, NDLEA, Archie-Abia Ibinabo, paid a visit to LASTMA’s headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos, on Tuesday.
A statement by LASTMA’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, said, at the meeting, General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, reaffirmed LASTMA’s readiness to forge a formidable partnership with the NDLEA.
Oki decried the alarming prevalence of illicit drug consumption, particularly among the youth, and underscored its direct correlation to the rising incidence of road traffic crashes.
He emphasised that reckless driving, often fuelled by excessive drug intake, had become a major threat to road safety and public well-being.
The statement read, “He highlighted the sophisticated methods employed by drug cartels to facilitate the illegal transportation of narcotics through unconventional channels such as dispatch motorcycles, ambulances, and other seemingly innocuous vehicles. Stressing the urgency of a synergised response, Oki posited that an intensified crackdown on drug abuse would serve as a linchpin in addressing a myriad of societal challenges affecting the youth, thereby fostering a more secure and orderly environment”.
In her remarks, the Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, Archie-Abia Ibinabo reaffirmed that the NDLEA’s visit was pivotal to its ongoing sensitisation and enlightenment campaign.
She highlighted the indispensability of multi-agency collaboration in the war against drug abuse, particularly with LASTMA, whose jurisdiction over traffic control positions it as a crucial stakeholder in intercepting illicit drug movements.
