By Mukhtar Sagir Dambatta
The North-West Development Commission (NWDC) has commended a Kano task force for tackling drug abuse and insecurity through coordinated regional efforts.
NAN reports that the commission made the commendation when the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Practices, led by its Chairman, Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado, paid a courtesy visit to the NWDC in Kano. This was contained in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja by Abdulrashid Yusuf Safana, Director, Press and Public Relations, NWDC, on Wednesday.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NWDC, Prof. Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, said drug abuse had become a major driver of insecurity, poverty and youth restiveness in the North-West.
Ma’aji said the region could not achieve its development goals if young people continued to be lost to drug abuse, stressing the need to address the link between drug abuse and violence.
He said NWDC was ready to collaborate with the task force and other stakeholders to develop regional solutions that would address drug abuse, rehabilitation and youth empowerment.
Briefing the commission, Rimingado said the task force had recorded significant achievements within 45 days of its inauguration, including more than 200 raids across vulnerable communities.
He said the operations also resulted in over 200 convictions, with some offenders sentenced to up to 10 years imprisonment, as well as the recovery of dangerous weapons and other exhibits.
According to him, 120 of the most critical and vulnerable offenders are currently undergoing rehabilitation at two correctional and reformatory centres.
Rimingado said the Kano State Government had adopted a two-pronged approach involving aggressive law enforcement and mass rehabilitation.
He explained that the task force was not established merely to arrest and prosecute offenders, but also to reform vulnerable persons and prevent them from returning to criminal activities.
Responding, Ma’aji assured that the NWDC would integrate drug prevention, rehabilitation and youth empowerment into its regional development plans for Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
He said the commission’s mandate went beyond infrastructure development to include rebuilding human capacity, adding that it would work with the task force to expand rehabilitation centres, provide skills acquisition programmes and create employment opportunities for youths.
Ma’aji also commended the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, for supporting the commission and establishing the Multi-Agency Task Force to tackle drug abuse.
He said the initiative demonstrated the governor’s concern for the welfare and development of youths in the state.
The meeting was attended by Engr. Rufa’i Ahmad, Board Member representing the North-Central.
The commission also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and parents to support efforts to combat drug abuse, stressing that security and development must go together.
The North-West Development Commission was established to promote infrastructure development, human capital investment and peace-building initiatives across the seven North-West states. (NAN)
