Abuja: The FCT Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Olusola Odumosu, has emphasized the importance of treating drug control as a national security priority to ensure the safety of communities and the protection of Nigeria’s future.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Odumosu made these remarks in Abuja while accepting the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award at the 7th Security and Emergency Management Awards and Lecture (SAEMA). The event was organized by Emergency Digest, a publication of Image Merchants Promotion Ltd, in partnership with the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS).
Odumosu expressed gratitude to the event organizers, awardees, and stakeholders for their efforts in promoting security excellence. He highlighted the event’s timely theme, ‘Drug Control and National Security: Innovation for a Safer Tomorrow,’ as crucial in addressing the growing threats posed by drug abuse and illicit trafficking to communities, infrastructure, and youth wellbeing.
He pointed out the detrimental connection between substance abuse and issues such as crime, terrorism, vandalism, and social instability, stressing the need for bold and innovative strategies across various institutions. Odumosu reiterated the NSCDC’s commitment to protecting lives, securing national assets, and enhancing community safety through approaches that mitigate drug-related risks.
Odumosu emphasized the need for innovation in tackling these challenges, particularly through intelligence gathering, community engagement, technology deployment, and partnership-building. He asserted that these methods are vital for creating safer neighborhoods, empowering the youth, and securing a stable future for the nation.
He commended the sustained effort of the organizers in recognizing significant contributions to security management, noting that the awards underscore the importance of teamwork in societal protection. Odumosu called on government agencies, private organizations, civil society groups, and community leaders to renew their commitment to collective action against drug abuse.
‘As we celebrate today, let us also resolve to work together towards a Nigeria where safety is guaranteed, innovation thrives, and drug abuse has no place,’ he concluded.