Ondo Assembly, UNODC partner to tackle cybercrime, drug abuse
By Boye Oyeyemi –
The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Chief Olamide Oladiji, has reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to strengthening governance, accountability, and legislative responses to emerging global challenges.
Oladiji gave the assurance on Wednesday while receiving the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure, and his delegation on a courtesy visit to the Assembly Complex in Akure.
“This courtesy visit provides us with a unique opportunity to explore strategic areas of collaboration with UNODC that will support our legislative processes, strengthen our frameworks, enhance cybercrime legislation, promote anti-corruption measures, and build capacity for effective governance,” Oladiji stated.
He expressed the Assembly’s readiness to benefit from technical assistance and capacity building on international best practices in tackling cybercrime, drug abuse, human trafficking, and other organized crimes.
The Speaker also pledged the lawmakers’ commitment to aligning with Nigeria’s obligations under international conventions while creating opportunities for sustainable development partnerships.
On his part, Toure said, “Institutions like the UN need to go beyond Abuja to see what people at the sub-national level are doing and how we can be relevant to them.”
He stressed that the challenges of drug abuse, organized crime, and cybercrime exist in local communities, noting that preventive awareness must begin at the grassroots.
