Lagos State Government has vowed to shut down any nightclubs allowing the use of drugs and firearms.
The Director-General (DG) of the Lagos State Safety Commission lamented that the use of hard drugs and firearms had become rampant in several nightclubs across the State. Therefore, it is necessary for the Government to collaborate with relevant authorities to stop such proliferation, particularly the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The Director, alongside officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), held a meeting with nightclub owners warning that the state government has zero tolerance for the use of drugs and firearms at night clubs and would henceforth shut down such clubs.
He said, “The purpose of this meeting is to address certain concerns that have come to our attention this includes the usage of drugs, the use of firearms and other safety issues that have become a major cause of concern for the Lagos State Government.
” On the issue of firearms in clubs, last year we had an incident with a superstar, we are also aware of a shooting accident that happened at a club recently and these give us serious concerns and we need to tell ourselves the truth. There should be scanners that can detect firearms and other weapons. He further asked, of what use are your security operatives?”
He further stated that club frontages had been turned into drug sales outlets and mandated the use of proper signages to convert the message of no drugs, no firearms and no underage to clubgoers.
He further admonished nightclub owners to respect the laws of the State as the Government would not hesitate to wield the big stick on those flagrantly violating the law regarding the operation of nightclubs.
He reiterated that the Commission, alongside officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigerian Police Force, will start regular visits to nightclubs in the State and shut down erring ones.
In his address, the Staff Officer in charge of Operations, Lagos State Command Superintendent of Narcotics, Maijama’a Abdullahi, lamented that drugs were being used in most night clubs from his findings after undergoing a secret tour of some clubs in Lagos.
He said that there were no signages to warn people against doing drugs in many nightclubs, decrying that drugs were being used excessively.
“The drug dealers stick around the clubs; they stick outside the clubs and sell drugs. Some of those selling drugs are friends with the bouncers. We need the help of club owners; it is getting out of hand.”
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