The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, National.InstNICO, Ado Muhammed Yahuza has called for urgent and collective action in the fight against drug abuse.
Yahuza, who expressed worries by the alarming rate of youth involved in the abuse, said all stakeholders must get involved to save the nation.
He spoke at the NICO Public Lecture series with the theme:
The lecture series is a continuation of NICO’s strategic and sustained programme of public enlightenment, cultural sensitization and orientation designed to draw national attention to the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse especially among Nigerian youths.
He called on all stakeholders to join hands with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in fighting the menace.
He said that there is an urgent need for collective action in order to save our youths and the nation from the avoidable negative consequences.
“It is pertinent to state here that as inspiring and amazing as the NDLEA story has been, there is still so much to be done. The Agency needs the support of all and sundry. Parents, teachers, religious leaders, civil society organizations and other critical institutions and stakeholders should play their role in addressing the menace.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) has blamed partly, Drug Abuse for the increasing number of school dropouts in the country.
Mohammed Buba Marwa who was the guest lecturer attributed partly the huge number of school dropouts in the country to drug abuse.
Marwa stressed that there are serious consequences of substance abuse among youths.
He said substance abuse among the youths has medical, social, economic and psychological consequences on the user, the family and the society.
Marwa who was represented by Dr. Ngozi Madubuke, Director tor Drugs Demand Reduction, said, “Declining grades, absenteeism, dropping out of school are problems associated with adolescent substance abuse. Researches show a low level of commitment to education and higher truancy rates among adolescents’ substance users. Cognitive and behavioural problems experienced by alcohol and drug using youth may interfere with their academic performance and also present obstacles to learning for them and their classmates.
“Young people who persistently abuse substances often experience an array of problems, including academic difficulties, health-related problems (mental health), poor peer relationships and involvement with the juvenile justice system. The consequences of drug abuse by youths include violence, rape, suicide, paranoia, poor academic performance, dropping out from school, poor health condition, indebtedness and waste of resources. Others are cultism, thuggery, kidnapping, terrorism, racketeering, and armed robbery.”
