The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Nigeria Country Office commenced a three-day stakeholders’ engagement on insecurity, crime, and drug abuse in Zamfara on Monday.
According to a statement by Sulaiman Idris, media aide to Governor Dauda Lawal, the workshop is part of a UN assessment and programming mission to guide its response to these challenges.
The UN team, led by Oliver Stolpe, the Country Representative of UNODC, will engage with key stakeholders across various sectors during the program.
The workshop aims to provide a platform for stakeholders and the visiting UN team to collectively analyze the scope, manifestations, drivers, and trends of insecurity, crime, and drug abuse in Zamfara.
“The workshop will also share good practices and approaches from within and beyond Nigeria to develop a joint action plan,” the statement said.
Governor Lawal urged the UN team to demonstrate a collective commitment to addressing the challenges of banditry, other crimes, and their connection to drug abuse. He mentioned his recent visit to the UN to seek intervention in these pressing challenges.
“I had constructive engagements with Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the leadership of its agencies, including the Head of the Drug and Crime Office. This seminar testifies to the UN’s proactive measures to fulfill their promises of helping us understand and address these challenges,” Lawal said.
“For over a decade, Zamfara has faced problems that undermine the safety and well-being of our people and impede socioeconomic development. My administration takes this visit and workshop very seriously, as the outcome will inform our future policies, decisions, and strategies for combating these issues.”
He noted that a wide range of issues, including kidnapping, cattle rustling, illegal mining, and inter-communal violence, would be discussed during the workshop. The role of various state security actors and traditional institutions in combating these problems will also be examined.
The workshop will seek UN support to strengthen the criminal justice response to organized crime and community-based crime prevention. Additionally, discussions will cover the scope, trends, and societal implications of drug abuse in Zamfara, as well as good practices in drug use prevention, treatment, and care.
Governor Lawal encouraged all participants to engage actively, listen, learn, and contribute constructively. “The insights and recommendations generated here will be crucial in shaping our strategies and actions in dealing with the problems that confront us,” he concluded.
