The chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, retired Brigadier General Mohammed Buba-Marwa says against the popular assumption that youths are the only demography that are faced by drug abuse problem, statistics have shown that all classes of Nigerians are involved in the abuse and trafficking of drugs, which makes the problem a major source of concern.
Brigadier General Buba Marwa made the statement in Awka at an event to commemorate the 2021 United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Trafficking organized by the NDLEA and the International Society for Substance Use Professionals, South East Chapter.
The NDLEA Chief Executive Officer noted that the enormity of the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking calls for urgent and collaborative actions to nip this societal cankerworm in the bud.
The NDLEA Chairman, represented by the Anambra State Commander of the agency, Mr. Mohammed Idris, revealed that the agency has thrown its doors open for all types of partnerships in the fight against abuse of illicit substances.
He said the agency has also set up a special purpose committee intended at involving more stakeholders and encouraging more collaboration with non-state actors in ensuring that the drug abuse problem is totally decimated.
Delivering a lecture on the topic, “Take evidenced based action to save lives”, the South East Coordinator, International Society for Substance Use Professional, ISSUP, Professor Micheal Ezenwa condemned the practice where educational institutions rusticate students, who are drug dependent instead of helping them to get rehabilitated.
While stating that this policy instead of ending the drug problem will rather increase stigmatization and push such persons more into drug use, the University don, a clinical psychologist with the department of Psychology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, said educational institutions should become more engaged in finding help for their students or members of staff found abusing drug or have become drug dependent.
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