The Nigeria Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Imo State Command has raised the alarm over the upsurge of youths’ involvement in drug trafficking and abuse.

The agency is worried that a number of such youths had either been ruined or destroyed by such unholy and shameful practices in some parts of the state such as Awara, Assah, and Umuokanne in the oil-producing council area of Ohaji/Egbema, Irete in Owerri West Council area as well as in Orlu LGA all in Imo State.

Speaking at the end of the year activities organized by the Imo State Chapter of the Nigerian Hotel Association in Owerri Friday, the Public Relations Officer of NDLEA, Mr. Lamuwa Shehu gave warned Hotel proprietors/managers to always place an eagle eye on their guests and expose any drug peddler/ addict among them or risk the sealing of their establishments.

He said that the agency’s resolve to intensify the fight against drug trafficking and abuse in various parts of the state.

Shehu who dwelt extensively on various types of drugs in society, the consequences of drugs abuse/addiction, insisted that it is part of the responsibilities of Hotels to ensure that their guests do not convert their establishments into veritable avenues for drug peddling and consumption for a healthy society.

He said; “It is your duty to know your customers (KYC) to ascertain if they are into drugs or not because such places as swimming pools and bars are where drugs are either taken or sold, if you fail to do this and you are caught, ignorance of the law will not be an excuse”.

While urging the Hotel managers/proprietors to partner with the NDLEA in the crusade against drugs trafficking and abuse, Shehu also advised them to provide occasional refresher courses for their staff on the dangers inherent in drugs trafficking/ abuse through workshops and seminars.

The chief servant of Imo Hotel Association, Chima Chukwunyere in his address earlier, decried the activities of the revenue taunts, hawks and criminals who according to him recklessly move around in search of who to scam.

Chukwunyere who also decried the poor leadership rocking the association urged members to always abide by the security rules of checking in and out of their guests, just as he appealed to managers whose short-sightedness had made them to defraud the Managing Directors to desist from such unholy practices.

Also speaking, the commissioner for Tourism- Barr. Jerry Egemba noted that the state is endowed with places of tourist attraction and sued for a partnership between the state government and stakeholders in the hospitality industry to move the sector forward. (Saturday Tribune)

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