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… as NAOSNP Seeks Stringent Legislation Against Drug Offences, Cultism, Others
By: Okosun Dennis
The National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), on Tuesday in Lagos, called on the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Mudasiru Obasa to increase the tempo of legislation that would bring drug offenders, Cultists and Domestic and Sexual Violence against men, women and children to justice in the state.
In a communique submitted to the House of Assembly, at Alausa, Ikeja by NAOSNP noted that drug use and involvement in cultism, has led to deaths of some youths while some are on the waiting edge of death.
Explaining the exponential proportion with which cases have surged in our society in recent times, observed that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men, according to statistics, have experienced some bluetooth on form of physical violence by an intimate partner involving behaviours like slapping, shoving, and pushing, while 1 in 7 women and 1 in 25 men have been injured by an intimate partner.
The communique signed by the President of NAOSNP and the Public Relations Officer, Mr Samson Oki and Eric Elezuo respectively pointed out succinctly that “data obtained from the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) showed that in 2021, the agency dealt with 2,584 domestic and sexual violence cases for adults, out of which women were the greatest victims with 2,349 cases.
“This is excluding other high rising social vices, which are direct consequences of cultism and misuse of harmful drugs among the youths.
On his part, the Lagos State Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Umar Isa Adoro said in their renewed effort to arrest the growing trends among some youths engaging in illicit drug trafficking and abuses, said the agency was going after drug barons and users until they are arrested and prosecuted.
He warned users to desist from such abuses and embrace good moral standards and ethics, according to the Deputy Commander Narcotics, DCN Kazeem Makinde, who represented the Commander, in an interview with our correspondent.
The NAOSNP Road ‘Walks’, has the Theme: “NAOSNP Walks Against Drug Abuse, Cultism and Domestic Violence.
It is part of the media workshop slated for Wednesday, 21 June, 2023, to create awareness/sensitization and enlightenment on concomitant problems of drug use, cultism and domestic and sexual violence which has infested the society like a behemoth.
According to DCN Makinde, “Whoever that is into drugs and drug trafficking, we would not let them alone; we must go after them because the matrix of Brig Gen Buba Marwa, Chairman NDLEA, is a moving train that if you want to cross it, you will be crushed.”
On winning the war against the activities of traffickers, he noted that “We are winning the war against drug abusers and traffickers but it requires synergy among all sister agencies in Lagos. Everybody must join hands to ensure that the war against drug abuses is won because “if you see something, say something.”
He used the opportunity to appeal to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to assist the agency in providing rehabilitation Centre to accommodate users as their facilities at Gbagada has limited space and already overstressed.
“So many people are applying to bring users in from their families, we are turning them down because we have limited space to accommodate them. To us, those using the drugs are considered to be sick people. The best we can do for them is to reach out to, and rehabilitate them.”
The Programme Officer, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Ms Ogunse Opemipo said that as government agency, they would continue to “say no to domestic and sexual violence, drug abuse and cultism in Lagos”, adding that they wouldn’t relent in lending support to every advocacy that could eliminate these ills from the society.
Also bearing his mind in an interview, the representative of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, DCP Bassey Ewah said since CP Idowu Owohunwa assumed office, he has adopted a new tactics in dealing with cultism.
“With our intelligent-driven police system in Lagos, we are going after them in their various homes, families and holes so that they will not be able to assemble to cause problems for the society.
On how the command is handling domestic violence against women, he expressed satisfaction that the Lagos state government has done fantastically well in the handling of human rights violations.
“In all our Area Commands and Police stations, we have domestic violence desk. The CP is currently building a home for people suffering from domestic violence.
With partnership with the Lagos State government, and with our officers trained by Lagos state agencies, our focus is to help women who have issues and out of abusive relationships.
Earlier, while saluting Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his dexterity and steadfastness and the Lagos State House of Assembly for doing so much in legislation, Samson Oki reiterated that there was the the need for advocacy and enlightenment, as well as caution our young ones against these social voices.
“Our hope is that this synergy will go a long way in addressing some of these societal problems that are gaining sway in our society on daily basis.”
The ‘walks’ which lasted over three hours, covering over 5kms from the Police Command, High Court, LASUTH, Ikeja Under Bridge, Allen Avenue junction, eventually terminated at the Complex, Lagos State House of Assembly, Ikeja.
Among those who attended the NAOSNP Road ‘Walks’ included the Spokesperson, Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, DCN Titi, NDLEA, (Demand Reduction); Lagos Island Youths.
The lead sponsor, the Managing Director of leading sports equipment company, Zenith Sports Limited and its subsidiary, Haggai Sports, Mr. Paul Maduakor, called on all and sundry, especially men and boys, survivors of drugs abuse and domestic violence to join the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) Walk Against Drug Abuse, Cultism and Domestic Violence and support the drive.
