Garlands for a warrior against hard drugs as Joseph Icha exits the north east war theatre

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA set up in 1989 have done a lot to ease the prevalence of hard drugs in Nigeria. The agency has weathered the storm in spite of the myriads of deficits in their work space in Borno state. Such include equipments or even a conducive and safe environment to work from especially in war theatres like North East Nigeria. And this is because the agency has been blessed with many fine officers who God has sent to uplift the image and capacity of the agency from where they were to the expectations of the contemporary.

One of such officers is the former Borno State Commander Joseph Icha who came into the state in 2019 and has transformed the men and officials to a hard drug strike force which has been able to penetrate the crannies of the state to bring the prevalence of such drugs down. He is in the focus of my binocular this week because of his recent promotion to Assistant Commander General of Narcotics (ACGN). Since 2014 I first encountered the north east theatre of war, Icha is the first official to have achieved such a senior rank in the cause of his contributions to humanity. And this is done out of mere creativity in the realm of counter insurgency because so many factors exist to discourage any officer from stretching his capacity but he kept tugging on.

Imagine a situation where drug agencies in advanced climes have enough personnel, armored tanks to storm strong holds of Czars but ours do not have. Well fortified barracks for personnel were no insurgent can walk in and pick them up like chicken to feast on. They rather utilize the protection and fire cover of other agencies like the police with those facilities whenever they need to go on extremely dangerous operations.

Take a scenario in which operatives are supposed to be in barracks yet these patriotic Nigerians have been living under make shift conditions in the former SDP and NRC offices built by head of state Babangida but abandoned by the same politicians he thought he was straight jacketing. They stay in their offices without no tanks to fight back in case one confused drug Lord sends his people to come after them to retrieve drugs that have been seized from their hands. In maiduguri, they have stayed under such dangerous enclosures with no backdoor of escape even when the boko haram insurgents had over run 21 council areas and were encircling maiduguri the capital of Borno State.

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That is the condition that Commander Joseph lcha inherited and has been managing his people inside the insurgency choked territory of Borno State in the last four years before this promotion which has taken him right into the heart of management to share the knowledge of the massive experience he has acquired in the war theatre. To me, this is one man who understood how much drugs was contributing to the insurgency and did his best to make sure that the insurgents were starved of the supplies from within the country. He is the real counter insurgency expert who knew how to handle even soldiers who got hooked on such hard drugs before they penetrate the savanna looking for terrorists. Because of his persona no fracas occurred between his men and troops of the Nigerian Army at the notorious “kasua fara” near the 7 division yet erring ones were arrested and prosecuted for violating the law.

In a recent interview I had with him, he was quite emotional about his stay in the theatre and said he was prepared to contribute to anywhere he was taken to. Indeed he has been posted to Abuja to work with his chairman Brigadier General Buba Marwa. Here is his last interview with me as State commander:

I assume that this is the last interview I am going to have with you as commander here because in the next couple of months you are going to assume office in Abuja, or somewhere in a zonal location with more than one states to manage and turn around your boys as usual.. Laughter?

Why would you assume that?

Because you have being giving a senior rank which is beyond ordinary state level

No! It’s at the discretion of NDLEA management to decide what they would do with me. Whatever they decide, I will abide by it and continue to do my best to ensure that I achieve the mission and vision of the agency.

Ok, so it is not compulsory that like in the Nigerian Police, once you become an AIG you are disqualified from holding a state, you should hold 5, 4 or 3 states to manage?

Yes, in NDLEA any one of the ranks of ACGN where the slot is available. We have zonal command; we have 15 zones. You can be appointed a zonal commander to over see a number of states. You may be appointed, depending on the availability of vacancy. Or you may be appointed a director. But it’s purely on vacancy.

How many years have you being here and what do you regard as land mark achievements to our common humanity against these killer drugs?

By a month from today, (day of interview) that’s by July 26th, I will be 4 years old in the state and this 4 years have been very eventful. We have recorded massive arrests in 2020. 20th August that same year, we carried out public destruction of hard drugs weighing 19,200 kg. By 26th July this year I will be 4 years in Borno. But I resumed 26th July 2019 and we carried out exhibits burning public destruction since 2020, 21st August. Then we later recorded arrest, of a single seizure, one of the largest single seizure of exhibits weighing 10,500 kg. But right now, we have secured various arrests and seizures of various quantities. Right now we have secured all the necessary documentation to publicly destroy drug exhibits weighing 15,200 kg waiting for destruction. The other one was 19,000 kg. But this one now as at yesterday we have secured 15,000 kg and this will be the second public destruction in 3 years.

When will that take place?

We have secured all the permits, so we are just waiting to execute. Execution is subject to funding.

Are we expecting the Chairman?

We are expecting everybody, if possible the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are expecting everybody. So hopefully whenever the dates are fixed and the funding have been made available, we will carry out that destruction. And generally you will observe that the insurgency is coming down and that is a sign that all the various instigating factors, that contribute to the insurgency have been defeated. And there is no gain saying that drug trafficking influence persons in the war.

Have been defeated meaning your men can bounce into any strong hold with tanks or no tanks and get the culprits they want?

No, we will still get support. I am just stressing the fact that successes have been achieved. That is what it means. There is nowhere, even in the US……. there is no country where you can just barge in and make arrests. You have to plan, you have to organize. You have to look at the risk and plan yourself accordingly.

Indeed while the State commander was planning the destruction of the accumulated drugs, he was suddenly transformed to the rank of ACGN in the agency. I interacted with this remarkable officer for the last four years and it was so difficult to place his background discipline because of the massive exposure he carries around. At some point, I thought he was a trained mass communicator because he understood us so much. At another point, I felt he was student of psychology or English language because of smooth communication skills with us the gentlemen of the fourth estate. I was shocked when he told me he was an economist during the interview which he managed to grant under the pressure of his entire management staff waiting for him for a meeting. He had just returned from the celebration of the United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and illicit drug trafficking 2023 with the theme “People first Stop Stigma and discrimination, Strengthen Prevention”. For me I have always also seen him as an academic who was fit enough to teach based on the way he evolves in reaching out to his own staff when ever the need arises. The usual lecturer side of him came out clearly in this speech delivered at the indimi international conference centre University of Maiduguri recently where he was asked to present a paper in what looks like his last public appearance as it seems now.

Hear him : “I am pleased to welcome you all to this year’s celebration of the 2023 United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking of Illicit Drugs. It is a day of utmost importance to the global community in the continuous effort to ameliorate the consequences of abuse of illicit substances and make our world a safer place.This year, the theme is “PEOPLE FIRST, STOP STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION, STRENGTHEN PREVENTION” It means protecting people and communities alike by ending the impunity of drug traffickers who are just basically profiting from the pains of substance use dependant persons.

“So many people are suffering from drug use disorders. Less than one fifth are in treatment. Drug users are doubly victimized, first by the harmful effects of the drugs themselves, and secondly by the stigma and discrimination they face.People who use drugs can often face significant barriers to seeking treatment and health services.

“Meanwhile drug traffickers continue to prey on drug users, rapidly escalating the production of dangerous, highly addictive synthetic drugs, like Meth, ICE, junkie etc. Borno state command is seriously cracking down on drug traffickers, dealers, their assets, and their collaborators, while equally ensuring that their victims get the necessary care they deserve.Between January and 25th June 2023, the State Command has arrested 317 persons for various drug offences. 313 males and 04 females. While illicit drugs weighing 1,152.6 Kilograms were seized.

“By This time last year, the command had arrested 208 persons for various drug offences, comprising of 202 males and 06 women. While 149.12 kilograms of drugs were seized. This shows a significant increase in the number of persons arrested and the quantity of drugs seized.In achieving this feat, the command has enjoyed encouraging support from the Borno State Government and from the Chairperson of the State Drug Control Committee. Dr Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum. The entire security architecture in the state has been very supportive and has always given us the needed synergy to achieve success in the drug war. To this regard, I say a very big thank you to the Army, Airforce, Navy, Police, DSS, NSCDC, Customs Service, Immigration Service, Correctional Service, FRSC and NAFDAC.

Drug Campaigns

“In taking the good people of Borno State first, the command had engaged in massive drug abuse campaigns across the length and breath of the State. We have established War Against Drug Abuse Clubs in all the tertiary institutions in Maiduguri and all the Secondary Schools in Maiduguri metropolis. We engaged in advocacy visits and activities that will highlight the dangers of drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The Command has also ensured that Drug Abuse Preventive Education is provided across the board to all associations, institutions, youth groups, etc.

Counseling to victims

On counseling to the society: He went on “The Command has a Counselling Centre where we have given 250 persons brief counselling intervention and have admitted 14 persons for long term counselling, out of which 10 were successfully treated and reintegrated with their families. The command is hoping that our counselling facility will be expanded and built to international standard, where we can admit more persons with substance use disorder (Both male and female). Thank you all

“I want to use this opportunity to appreciate Her Excellency, The first Lady of the State, Dr Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum and the State Drug Control committee for the support in ensuring that Borno State remains a drug free state.Furthermore, I want to appreciate all partners, Both Local and International; for their unwavering commitment to end the scourge of drug abuse in the State.To the officers and men of the command, I say thank you for your commitment to duty.Ladies and gentlemen, as a community, let’s continue our collaborative effort to end drug abuse, illicit trafficking and the stigma endured by drug users in the state.Thank you all for listening.”

This was his last outing as Borno state commander. I wish to use this opportunity to wish this friend of mine a fruitful work relationship with his colleagues in the ndlea headquarters in Abuja.

Garlands for a warrior against hard drugs as Joseph Icha exits the north east war theatre