…As NDLEA urges govt to complete Kwale, Agbor rehabilitation centres
The Delta State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a drug-free society through sustained prevention, public enlightenment and early intervention, in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The commitment was reiterated on Wednesday in Asaba as the state prepares to commence the second phase of the Drug-Free Delta Campaign on Monday, September 21, 2026, with selected secondary and tertiary institutions across the three senatorial districts targeted for the campaign.
Speaking at a joint press conference with the NDLEA Delta State Command, Director-General of the Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Olorogun Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq., said the campaign was part of the state government’s sustained efforts to promote responsible choices, strengthen prevention and ensure that young people have access to accurate information and appropriate support.
Oghenesivbe emphasised the central role of the family in preventing drug abuse, urging parents and guardians to pay closer attention to their children’s friends, social environment, academic performance and behavioural changes. He said good parenting, effective communication, supervision, discipline, affection and the deliberate inculcation of sound moral values remained critical safeguards against negative peer influence and substance abuse.
According to him, parents should create an atmosphere where children can discuss difficult issues without fear, noting that government and law-enforcement agencies cannot substitute for the family in raising responsible young people. He therefore urged parents not to wait until a child develops a serious substance-use problem before taking action, but to begin early conversations about responsible living, the consequences of drug abuse and the value of making positive choices.
The Bureau chief also called for stronger collaboration among schools, parents, traditional rulers, faith-based organisations, community leaders, youth organisations, civil society groups and the media. He urged stakeholders to make drug prevention a continuing conversation in homes, schools, places of worship and communities, rather than treating it as an activity limited to campaign periods.
He said the media had an important role to play in educating the public without stigmatising persons affected by substance abuse, stressing that the collective objective should be to provide young people with the information, guidance and support required to make responsible decisions. He added that Phase Two of the campaign was wholly funded by the Delta State Government.
On its part, the NDLEA Delta State Command, led by the State Commander, Mr. Halilu Hamidu, presented current operational data showing the agency’s sustained enforcement and preventive activities in the state. Hamidu disclosed that between July 2025 and September 2026, the Command secured 248 convictions, while 223 cases remained pending in court. During the period, the Command also carried out 181 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) and other drug-sensitisation activities, with 693 persons, comprising 463 males and 230 females, counselled.
Hamidu also disclosed that the Command seized 2.446497 tonnes of solid drug exhibits and recovered 1,304.630 litres of liquid drug exhibits within the period. The exhibits included cannabis, tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, diazepam, codeine, pentazocine and other psychotropic substances. He said the Command’s operations included the raid of a warehouse at Oko Market, Asaba, where illicit substances valued at more than N150 million were reportedly recovered, as well as the interception of trucks and commercial buses conveying illicit substances along major highways in the state.
The NDLEA Commander said the operations demonstrated the need for sustained intelligence-driven enforcement, but stressed that enforcement alone could not resolve the drug problem. “A student who never starts using illicit drugs is a success for every agency involved in this campaign,” Hamidu said, adding that the Command’s prevention efforts were aimed at ensuring that young people understood the consequences of drug abuse and knew where to obtain help when necessary.
Hamidu also called for stronger collaboration among the NDLEA, Delta State Government and other stakeholders, noting that parents, educational institutions, community leaders, religious organisations, civil society groups and the mass media all had important roles to play.
He urged young people not to allow curiosity, peer pressure or the pursuit of quick pleasure to determine the direction of their lives, while encouraging those struggling with drug use to seek help early.
The NDLEA Command appealed to the Delta State Government to expedite the completion and full operationalisation of the rehabilitation centres in Kwale and Agbor, saying functional facilities would strengthen the state’s capacity to provide rehabilitation and reintegration services to persons affected by drug abuse and substance-use disorders. The Command also requested support for suitable office accommodation and logistics in Asaba to strengthen its operational capacity in the state capital.
Chairman of the Asaba Drug and Rehabilitation Committee, Dr. Ify Uraih, who attended the press conference, similarly appealed to the state government to support the committee towards achieving the planned October opening ceremony of the Asaba Rehabilitation Centre. He commended the NDLEA for its dedication to duty and achievements in the state, stressing the importance of making rehabilitation services readily available to persons in need.
Oghenesivbe commended the NDLEA Delta Command for its partnership and contribution to the Drug-Free Delta initiative, while reiterating the state government’s commitment to protecting the wellbeing and future of young Deltans. He urged all stakeholders to see the campaign as a collective responsibility, stressing that a safer and healthier Delta requires government, families, schools, communities, faith-based organisations, traditional institutions, civil society and the media to work together in raising a responsible generation.
Highpoint of the briefing was the unveiling of campaign materials for the second phase of Drug Free Delta by the Bureau, assisted by the senior officials of the NDLEA and Asaba Drug and Rehabilitation Committee.
