Nigerian youths wasting away, analyst blasts NDLEA over debacle with Kwara senator

A journalist and public affairs analyst, A’isha Biola Raji has condemned the recent allegation levelled against the Senator representing Kwara South senatorial district, Oyeyola Ashiru by the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Raji in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 23, said it was a ray of hope for Nigeria Ashiru rose up to decry the alarming rate at which Nigerian youths use hard drugs.

Ashiru while speaking on the floor of the Senate called on NDLEA to as a matter of urgency, beef up its game considering the rate at which youths abuse drugs in Nigeria.

Raji noted that expectations were high to get a positive and remarkably pumped response from the NDLEA on measures it plans adopt to curb the menace.

She, however said she was disappointed to see that the agency resulted to blame game by attacking the personality of the Senator.

Raji said, “This for me, is a sad development. It can be likened to corruption situation in Nigeria, where you fight abnormalities and abnormalities fight back.

“In this case, the present and future of the youths in Nigeria is dangerously at stake as far as drug consumption is concerned.

“There is nothing in using one’s immediate locality as case study if statistics is taken into consideration. Imperically, one reacts based on what one sees, hears and feels,” Raji said.

Continuing, the analyst noted that if the Senator in question, mentioned his local environment as example, it is in order.

“If NDLEA comes out to mention people that deal in drugs from even his backyard, the Senator was first to confirm and even called for help from the agency.

“What is required of the NDLEA is to wake up to the Senator’s call not forgetting the fact that one out four Nigerian youths is on drugs.

Raji further called on the NDLEA and its leadership in the person of General Buba Marwa (retired) to get busy designing modalities in curbing the menace of drugs not attacking the bold Senator.

She said, “The Agency should know that not only the Senator is concerned with possible outcome of the time bomb, many well meaning Nigerians are scared too.”