The Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has called on parents and community leaders in Borno State to support fight against drug abuse.
The agency said this while stressing that drug abuse is one of the factors that contributed to criminality and radicalization among youths in the state.
Sardauna Abdullahi, assistant commander of the agency in state made the call on Tuesday during a three-day sensitization campaign on abuse in Maiduguri, capital of the state.enter image description here
The campaign was organized by Peace Ambassadors Center for Humanitarian Aid and Employment, with support from the British Council, as a pilot project titled ‘Youth Initiative for Peace.’
Themed: ‘Reintegration and the Effect of Substance Abuse in Gwange I, II, and III,’ it focused on fostering disengagement, de-radicalization and peace-building resilience, among young people. enter image description here Addressing a gathering of mothers, young women, ward heads, religious and community leaders, Mr. Sardauna emphasized that sustaining peace requires addressing the menace of drug abuse.
‘If we want to sustain peace, then it is a must to sensitize our people on the effect of drug abuse,’ he stated. enter image description here According to him, the United Nations estimates that about 14.3 million people in Nigeria are drug addicts, with one out of eight people in the country either using drugs or affected by relatives involved in drug abuse.
He explained that married women and children are now used as agents to smuggle drugs into households, weddings, naming ceremonies, and even among street beggars.enter image description here
‘Last year, we arrested over 1000 drug dealers, 14 of whom were women. They typically package substances in their gowns and sell them at weddings or naming ceremonies,’ Sardauna revealed.
He also highlighted the emergence of new local substances contributing to armed robbery and the killing of innocent people in the country.
‘We have discovered a leaf called Ukusi Musi, a dangerous local substance. Youths are inserting it between their shoes to get high. Additionally, they are preserving their urine for ten days and drinking it just to get high,’ he shared.
Sardauna advised community leaders and parents to report any person or group involved in drug abuse.
Yazid Abubakar Suleiman, program officer of the center in his address, emphasized that the discussion also focused on emerging issues of how youths involve themselves in drug abuse and how the initiative will develop strategies for lasting peace.
Hussaina Mohammed, monitoring and evaluation officer of the center, stated that participants were equipped with skills on how to address the re-integration of ex-combatants into society and sustain peace. She encouraged participants to extend the message to those who did not have the opportunity to participate.
Yerwa Express News
