From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The wife of the Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Chidinma Otti, has rescued a young woman of Abia origin said to be battling alleged drug-induced mental ill-health.
According to a release by the Abia First Lady’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Ndubueze Justice, the lady, Miss Glory Benjamin, who hails from Abia, was said to be wandering the streets of Asaba, Delta State, in a deranged condition as a result of alleged substance abuse.
The release said Mrs Otti, on learning the lady is from Abia, immediately reached out to the Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abia State, Mr Chidi Nnadi, who coordinated swift action that brought her back to Abia.
Mrs Otti, according to the release, directed that the rescued Miss Benjamin be taken to a hospital for medical assessment, where doctors confirmed she had been battling addiction to hard drugs, which, they said, had taken a toll on her mental and physical well-being.
The First Lady was said to have immediately arranged for her admission into a rehabilitation centre in Aba, where she promised to foot the bill for her treatment.
Speaking, the NDLEA Commander in Abia, Nnadi, thanked Mrs Otti for assisting the agency in fighting drug abuse in the state.
He revealed that while 40 persons are currently undergoing rehabilitation at the agency, an additional 60 are awaiting admission.
He disclosed that 40 drug traffickers have been successfully prosecuted and emphasised the need for a collective approach to tackling drug abuse.