The group, led by Sheikh Abdul Fattah Thanni, the Acting President, Council of Ulamah of Nigeria, said the initiative would curb, if not totally, stop the use of illicit drugs among Nigerian youths.
This was disclosed during their visit to the headquarters of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), where they were received by the Chairman of the agency, Brig-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd).
The Gen. Marwa (Rtd) led-NDLEA had in mid-2021 collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to launch War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), which has recorded tremendous successes recently.
The chairman of the agency, who was excited about the visitation, decorated the concerned Southwest Muslim scholars including Prof. Lakin Akintola, the Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), with badges of honour as anti-drug ambassadors.
Sheikh Thanni commended Marwa for the great work he has been doing since assumption of office in January 2021, noting that the body is dedicated to the society’s liberation from the menace of drug abuse.
According to him, “The federal government recently launched War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) and we are here to pledge our support in the cleaning of our society from drug abuse.
“The indiscriminate use of drugs among youths has been there for long, but it’s becoming alarming nowadays. We see a lot of promising youths who have become mentally derailed due to drugs. Some want quick money, hence, their engagement in drug trafficking.
“As concerned Muslim scholars, we also have important roles to play, especially using the minbar (pulpits) to sensitise our members, majority of whom are youths, on the danger of illicit drugs,” he noted.
Thanni, one of the Imams of The Muslim Congress (TMC), said the need for the reawakening of Muslims, most especially, the scholars and Muslim elite led to the formation of the concerned Southwest Muslim scholars.
“We are a body seeing to the awakening of the Muslims, including the scholars and the Muslim elite. It is not an ethnic move, but mainly to promote unity, understanding and also justice for Muslims suffering various forms of injustice.
“We are promoting peace and order, tranquillity and adequate development among the youths. What NDLEA stands for is aligning with what we are promoting”, he said.
