The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has deployed 10 vehicles to seven state commands and its headquarters in Abuja to enhance operations of the agency.
The Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, said this during a meeting with commanders of the 36 states including FCT and special commands on Monday in Abuja.
Marwa noted that operational and logistics issues had been a major challenge of the agency adding that his administration would ensure it was addressed totally.
He noted that his vision was to reposition the agency to make it more purposeful, resourceful, responsive and responsible.
Marwa assured the commanders that his administration was determined to overhaul the agency, administratively and operationally.
“Last week, we located some vehicles that one of our partners had given to the agency four years ago.
“We have looked at the status of the various commands, those that are hard hit, although every command needs vehicle but some need it more than the others.
“For instance, Edo state command vehicles were burnt down during the EndSARS protest while Yobe state does not even have any.
“So, we are deploying some of the vehicles immediately to some of those critical states. We hope in due course, we will do more,” he said.
Marwa said that going round under the auspices of Presidential Advisory Committee on Elimination of Drug Abuse has availed him of all the challenges being faced by the agency.
He said that the challenges were as crippling as they were bewildering, adding that the challenges of welfare, manpower shortage, lack of logistics, and lack of operational vehicles were major.
“I have heard your cries, I have seen your tears. I will like to send you to the rest of your staff, that it is a new dawn. Things must change,” Marwa said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one Hilux pick – up each was given to Edo, Yobe, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Enugu, while two Hilux pick-up and one tactical team bus were deployed to the agency’s headquarters, Abuja.
