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Artistes promoting drug abuse on social media ― NDLEA Chair

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), has accused some artistes of abusing drugs and also encouraging others to do the same through their work and activities on social media.

Marwa said this on Monday during a meeting with the leaders of the Nollywood industry under the aegis of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Marwa urged the AGN leaders to set a good example by leading the war within their circle.

The NDLEA boss further enjoined the actors to use their movies to promote messages against the use of illicit drugs, saying the minds of millions are shaped by what they watch in movies.

“A number of artists don’t only use, they also encourage others to abuse drugs through their work and activities on social media.

“We want the Guild to set good example by leading the war within its circle. Your movies must promote messages against the use of illicit drugs because the minds of millions are shaped by what they watch in movies. We need you to set up War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, committees within your industry,” Marwa said.

The AGN leaders, however, declared support for the NDLEA’s ongoing war against drug abuse in Nigeria as they expressed their preparedness to join the crusade against the scourge.

Marwa expressed confidence that the campaign against drug abuse in the country will go far with the offer of partnership and support from the leadership of AGN.

Speaking earlier, the National President of AGN, Emeka Rollas Ejezie, said: “We are here today to affirm our complete support to your efforts in combating the menace of drugs in our society as we strongly believe will help reduce drug crime to the barest minimum.

“As a Guild of major influencers and in line with our set objectives to educate, inform and entertain as well as our avowed commitment to national development, we seek a mutually beneficial partnership with the NDLEA to leverage on the star-power of our members in promoting some of your transformation programs especially on drug trafficking and abuses.

“Majority of our members are youths and appeal to a generation of youths who are influenced heavily by internet content and social media.

“We have therefore outlined some advocacy programmes to enlighten Nigerian youths on the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking; they include but not limited to: production of skits majorly for social media campaigns; drama series on negative effects of drug abuses, rehabilitations, eradicating the fear of stigmatization and advantages of total abstinence; engage some of our A-List actors as NDLEA Ambassadors to help use their star power to discourage the youth from doing drugs, among others.

“We share in the dream of a better Nigeria where success will be the reward for hard work and not through drug trafficking and other drug related offences.

“The era of glorifying drug barons and criminals is far gone and the Actors Guild of Nigeria, as Ambassadors of Nigeria’s image is readily available for advocacy campaigns, talk-shops, production of skits, playlets, feature films, etc. on the menace of drug abuse and trafficking,” Ejezie said.

Apart from the AGN National President, other members of the delegation include Mohammed Kareem, Vice President North Central; veteran actor, Zulu Adigwe; Steve Eboh; Onwurah Agility Ifeanyi; Waash Waziri, Vice President North West; Nazareth Jesse Bako, Mayor AGN Abuja; Pamela Abah; Veteran actor, Lisa Onu, and Hajiya Salma Ibrahim, Chairman AGN Kaduna.

TheStar