Pubdate: Fri, 24 Sep 2004
Source: This Day (Nigeria)
Copyright: 2004 This Day.
Contact:  http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870
Author: Oghenekevwe Laba

60 NDLEA Officers Killed By Barons - Olujimi

About 60 officials of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have 
lost their lives since the inception of the Agency to criminal barons in 
horrific circumstances without discrimination to tribe, tongue, sex or 
creed of the victims.

This information was disclosed yesterday in Lagos by the Attorney General 
of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujinmi, during the 
2004 Red Ribbon Day in commemoration of NDLEA narcotic agents who died in 
active duty.

In a paper read on behalf of the minister by Bola Odugbesan, there is a 
very serious linkage between drugs and crimes as most criminal activities 
in the country have drug connections.

"The drugs make them bold and courageous to the extent that they maim, 
kill, rape and destroy. The roles of drugs in conflict, communal clashes, 
ethnic and sectarian crisis across the nation are also well documented. The 
recent events in the Niger-Delta are good illustrations of the effect of 
drugs on civil liberties and security," Olujinmi said.

The minister observed that criminal drug dealers cannot arm-twist and 
intimidate them through cold blooded murder and blackmail to discourage 
NDLEA from its objective role of building a peaceful and democratic nation 
free from the pains, sufferings and hopelessness that drug cause, adding 
that drug dealers offer no constructive alternative to the hopeful future 
that the citizenry is craving for.

While pledging his commitment to continue to support and equip NDLEA with 
the best material and training opportunities to make their job more 
effective and efficient, the Attorney General enjoined Nigerians to 
remember the friends and relations of men and women whose lives were 
changed for ever.

He said each day in their mind, they replay the images of the horrific day 
each officer was brutally murdered, noting however that by wearing the red 
ribbons, they have embraced a new image of hope and resolve to eradicate 
drugs from the society.
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