Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia popularly known as 2Baba has called on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to step up its fight against drug abuse in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.
During a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the NDLEA, Rtd Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, on Thursday in Abuja, 2Baba made the call in addition to representatives of the 2Baba Foundation and a delegation from the National Democratic Institute, or NDI.
The meeting was part of 2Baba’s foundation’s efforts to promote peace in the general elections of 2023, according to the rapper and foundation president, who also doubles as 2Baba. His foundation’s campaign slogans include “Vote Not Fight; Election No Be War.”
He said: “The primary target of the campaign is the youths and the political class who are majorly the sponsor of this violence.
“We noticed that over the years, when we hear so many reports of violence, one of the major triggers of this violence is drugs. That is one of the reasons why we have come to solicit your support by giving directives to all your commands across the 36 states and FCT to step up.
“Though, we must commend the agency for the work they have been doing so far in apprehending and deterring people from marketing and using drugs. I give you kudos for that. But, we advise you to step it up, especially as the election is around the corner. We are also willing and ready to work with you to spread the campaign.”
On his part, Marwa, represented by the Secretary of the agency, NDLEA, Mr Shadrach Haruna, said the agency was working effectively to take away drugs from the streets, and reduce its supply and consumption in the country.
“We are doing our best to ensure that whatever that would be part of the process to ensure that there is a peaceful election. We have actually identified three stages for this type of intervention: the first stage is actually the pre-election period. Then, we have the election day and the post-election period.
“Prior to elections, and what we have been doing which we have already sensitised all our commands, is to mop the streets of drug miscreants. Indeed, we have seen and you have said it yourself that you’re seeing the wave of what is happening in other big cities where drugs have been stashed and most of them will be used for the election.
“So, then, we are actually removing all the drugs. If you follow the Lagos story, you will know the drugs are being removed and destroyed. And, all these are leading up to the issue we are talking about today, how we can take away drugs from the streets and it is very important for us now that we have elections coming and that is what we want to really achieve by getting all the drugs anywhere they are and by reducing the supply which will affect consumption.
“This campaign being led by your team will get a lot of attraction and it will also help us in the work we are doing. This is because we need people like you who are influencers to speak with the young ones,” he said.
