Follow Us on Google
…NDLEA, others rise to check menace
By Cosmas Omegoh
Investigations have revealed that unprecedented substance abuse is going on across the country at the moment.
And the lamentation on the lips of many is that the country’s youths are making drugs intake a past time, a development that will trigger bigger disaster in the days to come.
This growing fear suggests that with the manner the youths are doing drugs many of them might be ruined long years before they attain their prime. And that is sure to be a huge challenge for this current generation.
The situation is one that if you take a walk down the street or drive around town, you surely must find one or two scruffy youths either sitting forlorn at a corner starring into space or charging down the road – their mind already lost – having been totally ruined by drugs.
They can’t figure out what actually hit them, neither can they remember how the drugs they earlier consumed turned fatal.
At the moment, the fears of those who know the grave danger posed by drugs are both genuine and well founded. Such folks are unhappy that a growing number of Nigerian youths, and even the adult population, is getting perished without knowing it, even when a greater percentage of the citizenry does not care a hoot. Everything is happening now that substance abuse is being celebrated, with some of the abusers hailed as role models. It wasn’t like this in the past.
Experts warn against drug use
Meanwhile, experts have continued to warn that Nigeria is at the brink if more and more people do not join hands to halt or reduce illicit drug abuse in the country.
Not long ago, for instance, a medical expert, Dr Oche Joseph Otorkpa, with specialty in public health, rang such a drug alarm bell warning that “drug abuse among Nigeria’s growing young population is on the increase.”
Dr Otorkpa was quoted alerting the society that “appetite for drug abuse among Nigerian young population is on the increase.”
Recently, study after study has found out that the rate at which Nigerians are abusing various substance is attaining insufferable new heights, not minding the consequences in tow. One of such studies was carried out by the Nigerian Institute for Social Research (NISER) based in Ibadan in July 2023, detailing how drugs were destroying Nigerian youths without let.
NISER’s study came on the sideline of a startling figure released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes in 2022, indicating that 14.4 per cent (14.3 million) Nigerians in the age group 15-64 years abuse drugs.
NISER was further buoyed by the timeless words of former US President Ronald Reagan that: “Whatever destroys (the) quality of life of youths, destroys a nation.”
When NISER returned from its field study, the summary of its findings were illuminating as it said: “Drug abuse (is) affecting youths’ quality of life negatively,” adding that the “overall, drug abuse impacts the general health, social relationships, physical health, living conditions, and psychological state of youths involved.”
Abuses persist despite NDLEA’s warnings
At every fora, the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) always emphasises the grave danger the country faces as its youths go on drug-spree.
Lately, Mrs Atinuke Aduloju, the chief superintendent of narcotics, NDLEA, expressed sadness that 40 per cent of Nigerian youths between 18 and 35 years are deeply involved in the abuse of drugs.
Aduloju was worried that emerging statistics showed that the problem had attained what she called “an epidemic level in the country.”
Similarly, Ogun State Commander of the NDLEA, Ibiba Odili, was recently quoted reiterating that “approximately, 14.3 million Nigerians are involved in drug abuse,” also regretting that the “abusers are within the age range of 15 and 64 years.”
He went on to express worry that even more women were increasingly getting involved in the act, adding that regrettably, one in four drug abusers is a woman.
Nevertheless, substance abuse has continued to spiral amid NDLEA’s unflagging effort to fight the culprits and reduce the trend.
Every now and then, the anti-narcotic agency engages in dog fight not only with the abusers, but the drug barons and merchants.
At many of such engagements, sadly sometimes, lives were lost. Drugs with street value of mind-boggling sums are seized. Arrests are made; the suspects are prosecuted and sometimes jailed.
But has NDLEA’s efforts deterred drug intake across the country? The answer is no. Rather, in the recent past, legions of active drugs users have continued to emerge, with their numbers continuing their upward climb, their audacity growing in scale.
From the arid region of the North, to the mangrove belt of the South, the story of drug abuse stands the same. The youths are getting involved, staying high on drugs and savouring it.
Often suggestions emerge that many youths go into drugs out of frustration. Some, it is said, indulge in illicit drugs because it is the trend among their friends. Some other reasons are also being adduced.
But more worrisome now is the new reality that even school kids have become a part of the drug chain.
It is sad to recall that in some instances, some of the kids are abusing drugs themselves, and teaching their mate to do so. At some locations, kids are said to sell illicit substances for their families just to make a living.
Sunday Sun was told that these days, no party anywhere involving the youths is adjudged worth anything without a cocktail of drugs. At such gatherings, various drugs are gratuitously given out and freely consumed.
At youth parties, some drugs, it was also learnt, are either introduced in drinks and given to party attendees to consume without the uninitiated knowing of it. Some are mixed with food, and freely enjoyed. That is how far some of the youths have gone.
Some days ago, the nation woke up to the rude shock of some youths in Osogbo, Osun State, gathering at a well-advertised party where drugs would be freely consumed.
The NDLEA, upon learning about the aberration, moved in quickly to arrest the organisers.
A statement issued by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said that the agency had to move in to stop the night party tagged “Unholy Alliance…for Stoners and Drunkards.”
He said that the party was billed to be one where assorted illicit substances would be sold and consumed.
Some concerned persons believed the Osogbo party brings to the fore how far down ladder things have gone bad among the youths, lamenting that a lot more of such parties are going on indiscreetly across the states every now and then.
How drug sellers woo youths
A youth whose father keeps a shop at Cele area of Lagos, who pleaded anonymity, told Sunday Sun that drug sales goes on at that axis.
“They regularly woo me with free drugs.
“But I often tell them that I’m not cut out for drugs,” he said.
He revealed that wherever youths gather to recreate and play football, for instance, chances are that somebody out there is selling drugs.
“When you fall into their trap by consuming what you are initially given for free, you will be buying from them afterwards. That’s the game,” he said.
Stakeholders demand more action against drugs use
A youth leader, Israel Irabor, had lamented that if more concerted efforts were not made to compliment NDLEA efforts, the country might be in for the worst in no distant time.
Irabor who is also a psychologist said: “The damage going on right now on account of drug use is incalculable.
“Unfortunately, the victims do not know what awaits them.
“The situation is made worse because drugs are now becoming available and affordable.”
The principal of a private secondary school in Lagos who identified himself as Idowu, tasked the NDLEA to mount an advocacy programme in secondary schools so that the youths will become anti-narcotics ambassadors from the cradle.
“In our schools, we would love to have such a programme.
“That would help the youths to grow up fully aware of the dangers of drugs before they become full members of their society.”
NDLEA advocacy programme
Meanwhile, Babafemi said that the NDLEA has series advocacy programmes aimed at ensuring that young Nigerians imbibe the culture of shunning drugs early enough.
He said: “We do have an ongoing social advocacy campaign called War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), initiative launched on June 26, 2021 to mobilise all stakeholders and citizens to take ownership of the war against substance abuse and trafficking, as well as raising awareness among the populace using diverse tools and platforms, including sensitisation lectures in schools, worship centres, workplaces, markets, hospitals, communities and traditional institutions.
“Beyond this, we equally work with NGOs, CSOs, FBOs and CBOs to promote anti- drug abuse messages in schools and other sectors in addition to the setting up of WADA clubs or anti-drug clubs in schools (primary, secondary and tertiary) and communities.
“We’re also very active on social media platforms where we engage with the youths especially with our public enlightenment conversations on X spaces (Twitter) and share facts about drugs and provide support for those who need help to get free from substance abuse, every Friday 3-5p.m.
“We equally work with the Ministry of Education to ensure that drug education is part of the curriculum across our schools. “Beyond this, we encourage parents to take responsibility and provide intentional parenting in the upbringing of their children,” while urging the youths to do well and shun drug intake.
NISER study recommendation
In conclusion of its findings, NISER requested that “government at all levels should involve relevant and seasoned professionals such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counsellors, and other relevant health workers in designing intervention programme of enhancing the quality of life of the youths.”
