.jpeg "African nations will continue to be held captive until they defeat the drug lords. the Tinubu")
The President fervently cautioned that until the African continent is freed from the chains of the criminal enterprises of drug barons and syndicates of illicit narcotics, it would stay imprisoned.
When he opened the 31st meeting of the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa (HONLAF) on Tuesday at the Abuja Continental Hotel, he issued the warning.
"We will probably remain in chains in a diseased and amoral world, as will our children and their children, if we don't dismantle the criminal enterprises that threaten our future and build a brighter tomorrow for all Africans," Tinubu said.
The President, who was present at the event through Vice President Kashim Shettima, gave the keynote speech titled "Rising Above the Drug Threat" and noted that Africa was "at the mercy of a threat that knows neither race nor geography, neither gender nor social class."
To this end, he exhorted the chiefs of drug law enforcement organizations to view the Abuja meeting as a sign of hope and a spark for progress on the continent.
In order to ensure that there are no illegal substances in the world, Tinubu praised the officials for their sacrifices.
"This threat has crossed borders, destroyed societies, and destroyed dreams," he declared. Without the men and women in this room's moral commitment, this menace would have resulted in the eradication of entire towns, nations, and even civilizations. I must thus thank you for the sacrifices you have made in an effort to keep our planet drug-free, sane, and safe.
This seminar highlights your international cooperation in defending us against the destruction caused by drugs, a threat that only yields to the application of the law.
Therefore, we are grateful to HONLAF and its partners, particularly the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for developing this avenue and giving intelligence and drug law enforcement officials a great opportunity to compare notes, work together, and create networks that would be several steps ahead of the criminal network of drug transnational organizations.
The President expressed regret over the recent frantic attempts by criminal organizations to circumvent security measures in African nations in an effort to corrupt their citizens' minds, but he added that the anti-narcotics agencies had proven to be a pain in their side.
ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government Chairman Tinubu said: "But while it's a compliment that drug-law enforcement organizations are a threat to their criminal empires, their desperation must never be taken for granted."