Boko Haram Bombers Influenced By Drugs

July 5, 2012 – Boko Haram Bombers Influenced By Drugs

The Director General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Ajayi, has linked the escalation of suicide bombings in Nigeria to the increase of drug consumption in the country.

Ajayi did not give evidence to support his assertion but argued that suicide bombers need to be under the influence of hard drug to blow themselves up and kill many others.

He made the disclosure during the public presentation of three books on drug abuse prevention in Lagos written by an officer of the NDLEA.

“Death in itself is dreaded even though it is a necessary end but when people subscribe to it happily by bombing, killing innocent lives and creating havoc and ruin, you know it is not normal.

“The impact of drug abuse is far more damaging than some people assume because it is related to violent crimes. A man under the influence of drugs is as deadly and unpredictable as a mad man playing with a time bomb,” Ajayi said at the event.

He commended the author, Dr. Martin Osayande Agwogie, and pledged the agency’s support as a means of encouraging him and others.

“We need to educate people on the hazards of narcotics. Public enlightenment is central to drug control. In fact, drug demand reduction is a way of taking the profit from drug trafficking. Without demand for drugs, drug dealers will simply be out of business. The Agency will therefore support the author for championing drug abuse prevention enlightenment” .

NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the author, Agwogie, is an expert with the agency’s drug demand directorate.

He was quoted as saying that he was motivated by the huge problem of drug abuse to write the books titled “Drug Abuse Not My Child; Drug Abuse Weep Not Mummy and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment In The Workplace.”

“This is my contribution to the drug abuse prevention campaign. Drug abuse is a huge problem and all hands must be on deck to prevent it in our society”.

The NDLEA Director of Drug Demand Reduction, Dr. Lawrence Opara , who reviewed the books was quoted as saying: “The books are great resource materials on the subject of drug abuse control. I recommend them to schools, organisations, drug abuse counsellors, social workers and the general public”.