The National Drug, Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is partnering Kannywood in the anti-drug crusade
The chairman of the agency, General Buba Marwa (retd) made this known during an interactive session with stakeholders of Kannywood in Kano State.
The NDLEA Chairman, during his 3-day official visit to Kano State, reiterated efforts to reposition the agency to be more functional, effective and responsive to the new mandate given to it by the President and Commander-In-Chief, to eradicate illicit drugs from all nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
He said the agency has embarked on advocacy visits to states of the federation to interact with relevant stakeholders and opinion leaders in order to sample diverse ideas on modalities for surmounting challenges militating against effective mitigation of the scourge.
Marwa disclosed that in every six persons, one is a drug addict and they are between the ages of 15 years and 64 years in Kano State.
He said the state has close to two million drug users, abusing tramadol, codeine, and other cough syrups, rather than cannabis.
He said that his agency has successfully seized over two million kilograms of assorted drugs, estimated at billions of Naira since he assumed leadership of the agency in January this year.
Marwa assured that the main mission is to formally introduce his agency to the movie stakeholders, in order to ensure the two parties meet the mandates as set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He the partnership will put in top gear events towards achieving war against drug abuse.
Marwa assured the industry stakeholders that NDLEA is ready to work hand in hand with the industry.
National President, Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN), Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Sarari informed the session that Kannywood is the second largest employer of labour after agriculture in northern Nigeria.
He said that the entertainment industry in northern Nigeria (Kannywood) was in existence two years before Nollywood with over 17 guilds and associations affiliated to MOPPAN spread across the 19 states of the north and Abuja.
He assured the NDLEA boss of MOPPAN’s readiness to collaborate with the agency in curbing the drug menace in society.
Sarari said that although Kano is one of the most populous states that harbours youths from all states of the federation, adding that Kannywood, through MOPPAN, has a lined up activities to contribute to the crusade.
All other speakers at the event assured the NDLEA boss of the Hausa movie industry’s readiness to contribute its quota in curbing out the menace facing the society, more especially in Kano state and the nation as a whole.
The meeting, which was held at the main conference auditorium of Kannywood TV house in Kano, had in attendance the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of National Open University, Professor Abdallah Uba Adamu, past presidents of MOPPAN, current national and states executive of MOPPAN, and top actors and producers in Kannywood, which include Hamisu Lamido Iyantama, Ali Nuhu, Sadiq Sani Sadiq, Tijjani Asase, Abubakar Bashir Mai Shadda and hosts of others.
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