The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Lagos State Government are working towards the eradication of illegal methamphetamine production in Lagos. Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola while receiving the NDLEA boss Ahmadu Giade in his Alausa office said that drug control is the first line of defence against insecurity and crime.
Speaking on the link between drug abuse/trafficking, crimes and insecurity, the governor said: “the new discovery of clandestine laboratories for methamphetamine production in Lagos is the first alarm of insecurity in the State.”
The Governor urged that emphasis should be placed on adequate funding of critical security agencies like NDLEA. “There is need to prioritize the defence and protection of the over 4000 borders” in the country.
He said that “since crimes like armed robbery, rape and other violent crimes are often committed under the influence of drugs, we must first fight drugs in order to fight crime. At this time of high security challenges, drug control should be a high priority issue. Every society that wants to promote peace and security must fight drugs”.
Winning strategies to address the spread of the factories include public enlightenment and social mobilization aimed at sensitising member of the public to the dangers and challenges of clandestine laboratories. It will also provide safety tips, encourage community vigilance and ultimately prevent the spread of these dangerous factories.
Other strategies include scientific testing of soil and water in areas where Illegal drug manufacturing factories were discovered in the State. This will enhance the assessment of the environmental impact of the waste generated by the illegal factories and seek ways to arrest the ugly development.
The NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade who sounded the alarm on the proliferation of Clandestine Laboratories for the manufacture of methamphetamine stressed the need for collaboration against drug cartels. In his words, “Methamphetamine is fast becoming the choice of drug barons due to its increasing demand and rising value in other continents. This is a catalyst for the proliferation of Clandestine Laboratories and we need to collaborate to check the ugly trend”.
Giade stated that safety of lives and property is threatened when drugs are produced and trafficked. “Money in hands of criminal gangs exposes the State to the associated risk of terrorism financing, money laundering, political violence and murder. There is also the threat of creating local market for the drug thus increasing the number of drug addicts”.
The Agency in the past two years had discovered five laboratories with four located in Lagos. The four discovered laboratories were operating in Monkey Village, Iba area, Daily Times Estate Satellite town, Silver Estate, Isolo and Lekki. The fifth one was discovered in Nanka, Anambra State. These are the first known cases of such laboratories in the entire West African sub-region.
