NDLEA Kano command moves to use sports in the war against drug menace
By Abdulgafar Oladimeji
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA Kano command Thursday disclosed the plans to use sports as a tool to wage war against the menace of drug abuse in the state.
The NDLEA Kano commander , Abubakar Ahmed , at the state command headquarters, while flagging of the Nip In Bud project organized by Selaboy Foundation said the command identifies sports as one of the instruments that could be used to serve sensitization and rehabilitation purposes in the war against drug abuse.
He said “ plans are at an advanced stage to build a standard sports arena within our facility.
Ahmed further said “ this is part of our rehabilitation project, sports can help in creating sound minds, this is part of our programmes at the command.”
He said the command is reaching out to sports stakeholders with the intent to weave an approach that will usher on board the strategic use of sports to achieve the mission and vison set by the anti narcotic the agency.
The director , Sports Without Borders Development Association, SWIBODA, Abdulgafar Oladimeji, in his goodwill message at the occasion, urged the agency to take seriously that sports could help the agency to achieve its motives in the war to enforce the prohibition of sale and consumption of drug substances.
Abdulgafar said the time is ripe for the command to move away from the invasion of sports facilities in the bid to arrest suspected persons, rather calling for a coordinated approach with sports stakeholders like Kano FA, Kano Sports Commission, Kano Pillars fans club and Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN.
He said, joint collaboration between all stakeholders will yield unanticipated dividends in using sports to capture the attention of the youths towards the relevant campaign message been sent forth regularly, adding that the collaboration could extensively assist the command Drug Demand Reduction Unit, DDRU in carrying out its duties within the state command structure.