- Rehab centre no longer contains victims – Commander
From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abia State Command, has decried the rising rate of drug abuse in the state, which it said has made its Rehabilitation Centre in Aba not to contain all the victims of drugs in Abia.
The State Commander, NDLEA, Dogo Yusuf who stated this in Aba, while commemorating the 2023 International Day Against Substance Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking said this was evident in a long line of victims awaiting admission at NDLEA’S rehabilitation centre, Aba.
He lamented that NDLEA’S rehabilitation centre in Aba could presently not admit all the victims who needed rehabilitation because of the high number of drug abuse victims in the state.
“This is because space is not enough, which is proof that drug abuse is very high in Abia State”.
He pleaded with the residents and the people of the state to support the agency’s move to put an end to the stigmatisation and discrimination of victims of drug abuse.
“This is the more reason Abia residents need to abhor stigmatisation and help those who are already in trouble to trace their path back to normal life,” he said.
Yusuf informed it was for the purpose of stopping stigmatisation, the NDLEA launched the War against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative in 2021.
He stated that WADA as a crucial tool that facilitates the implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) 2021-25 was targeted at three groups: people who have not started using drugs, especially the young ones; those who are using drugs but have not started manifesting any physical symptoms; and people proper who are having problems as a result of drug abuse.