The Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, has warned that any titled holder found to be involved in drug abuse in Asaba will be stripped of their title.
The pronouncement was made during a courtesy visit by the State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Halilu Hamidu, in Asaba.
Azinge stated that the people of Asaba, on their own initiative, recently mobilized to cleanse the community of drug peddlers, barons, and addicts.
“It was a well-orchestrated and well-planned undertaking which yielded a lot of positive results. I can say without equivocation now that as far as drug abuse is concerned, the whole town is very, very quiet. And that’s flowing from the efforts of the community on their own,” he said.
He added: “We just didn’t stop there, we followed it up. I had to make a pronouncement from the throne that any Asaba titled man that is sufficiently considered to be, and that will be evidence-based, involved in drug trafficking will be stripped of his title and, if need be, made to go through the process all over again.”
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Azinge, however, expressed concern over the absence of an NDLEA office in Asaba, which he said hampers the agency’s effectiveness in tackling drug-related issues. He revealed that the Oshimili South Local Government Council Chairman, Dr. Obi Ezenyili, had offered to provide office space for the agency.
The Asagba also raised concerns about alleged compromise and complicity among security agencies, which he believes may be contributing to the community’s drug problem. He urged the NDLEA commander to address these issues and ensure the agency maintained high integrity.
Earlier, Commander Hamidu highlighted the challenges facing the agency, including the location of its headquarters in Ogwashi-Uku, which affects response times to drug-related incidents in Asaba.
He commended the Asagba for his efforts in tackling the drug problem and sought his continued support in resolving the agency’s logistical challenges.
The state commander emphasised the importance of collaboration and community involvement in the fight against drug abuse and called on all stakeholders to work together to create a drug-free Delta State.
