By ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, Warri
A Delta Based Cleric, Deacon Shola Mese has advised the National Drug
Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Police Force to stop
raiding, arresting, detaining, prosecuting and sending drug addicts to jail, stressing that same will not help.
Mese also stated that the law enforcement agencies should consider
“Counselling” as a better option in handling the drug addict to reduce
crime in the society.
Mese gave the advice in a chat with Our Warri, Delta State Correspondent during the “World Food Day” which held at Ugborikoko Community town hall, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
Mese also lamented that the Police and the NDLEA do not bother to do counselling, stressing that there is no rehabilitation centre in the whole of the Delta State.
“We don’t bother to do counselling to know why they are going into it.
As big as Delta State, I can tell you that there is no rehabilitation centre.”
While noting that his vision is to get a rehabilitation centre to cater for the drug addicts, Mese attributed youth involvement in drugs to frustration and deceit from their leaders apart from unemployment.
Mese expressed the belief that the drug addicts are “transformable”
and can actually come out of drugs if the society show them love.
He also called on the Federal Government to make adequately fund the
NDLEA to reduce the intake of drugs amongst Nigerians.
Mese said, “My vision is to see how we live a crime free life. If we definitely reduce crime in our society, if you handle those so called people you call drug addict, it will reduce the crime rate. And if you reduce the crime rate, apart from the fact that you are going to have a robust economy, you are going to sleep with your two eyes closed because nobody wants to invest in a community that is violent prone.”
“Everybody wants to invest in a place where they will be sure of their
money. So,I believe that doing so, will reduce the crime rate, many investors will come and hunger will be reduced.”
Mese who is the founder of Shola Mese Foundation also empowered thirty
women and several youths with food items, cash and cooked foods.
The Chairman of Ugborikoko Community, Stanley Ibeh also appealed to the
youths to calm down and refrain from every social vices so as to attract more empowerment and development to their lands just as he thanked Shola Mese for the kind gesture.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Elizabeth Yeye appreciated Shola Mese for empowering the women and youths and prayed God to continue to bless him and his entire family.
