The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has said that armed bandits and kidnappers now request for illicit drugs as ransom.
Chairman of the NDLEA Buba Marwa disclosed this at the inauguration of the Special Purpose Committee of the NDLEA, comprising 33 members and observers.
The chairman noted that the use of illicit drugs is partly responsible for kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, rape and other heinous crime bedeviling some parts of the country.
“No wonder we have so much criminality everywhere in our land. And it is increasing instead of abating, starting with kidnapping, insurgency, banditry (North West), then moving to Niger. Now it has upgraded to rape and assassinations,” he said.
“Behind it all is drug use. Criminals all use drugs, even kidnappers now ask for ransom in drugs. Unless we get to this root cause, we will only be scorching at the surface as the criminalities will continue to flourish.
“Unfortunately, drug use does not show in the face, so you won’t know if your next-door neighbour is doing drugs. However, we all know somebody or someone who knows somebody doing drugs,” he added.
