Akure: Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to combating drug trafficking, drug abuse, and related crimes.
Aiyedatiwa made this known in Akure when he received Mr Cheikh Toure, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Nigeria Office.
The governor said that security and the rule of law remained the cornerstone of his government’s development agenda.
Aiyedatiwa said that the state has consistently supported security agencies through intelligence gathering, prosecution, logistics and technical backing to strengthen the fight against crime.
He noted that the state government had been providing support to all security outfits to aid in the fight against crime and collaborating with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in preventing drug abuse.
“In recent times, we distributed about 75 hybrid vehicles to our security agents to aid their operations, especially in flashpoint areas across the state.
“We have also given massive support to the NDLEA to tackle illicit drug cultivation and trafficking, particularly cannabis, which grows freely in some parts of the state.
“Our ultimate goal is to build a resilient society where our youths are positively engaged and our communities live in peace and dignity.
“That is why we are ready to partner with the United Nations and other stakeholders to tackle crimes collectively,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa, who said no nation was 100 per cent free of crime, noted that the response and preparation towards it was the critical thing.
In his remarks, Mr Cheikh Toure commended the efforts of the Ondo State Government in the areas of security, economic development, and youth empowerment.
Toure said that UNODC’s mission was not only to engage at the national level but also to work directly with states and all the local governments to ensure grassroots impact.
He assured that the UNODC would explore more partnerships with Ondo State to strengthen youths’ resilience, enhance prosecution capacity, and reduce the prevalence of drug abuse and other crimes.
“Ondo State has shown commendable commitment, and we are here to see how best to consolidate our work at the grassroots level, especially in empowering young people and strengthening institutions to curb crime,” he said.