The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), has said that the two regions, South-West and South-South have the highest cases of drug abuse in the country.
Marwa so spoke on Friday in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, during the inauguration of a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts called ‘Behavioural Action Centre’, built by a group known as Ogbomosho First Initiative revealed that there is a link between drug abuse and insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.
The former military administrator disclosed that if the issue of drug abuse is not addressed, crimes will keep multiplying.
The new NDLEA helmsman said the rate of drug abuse in the South-West was 22.4 per cent, with the South-South and South-East following with 16.6 and 13.8 per cent, respectively.
According to him, the North-East, North-West and North-Central came after with 13.6, 12 and 10 per cent, respectively.
Marwa said, “We are facing drug challenge in Nigeria but it is a solvable challenge. To achieve this, all stakeholders must come together to solve the problem. Drug challenge does not discriminate between Christians and Muslims. No community is not affected by this debilitating issue.
“Banditry, insurgency, kidnapping and other criminal activities all have their root in the use of hard substances. Until we face the menace squarely, the problem of insecurity will continue to remain with us.”
He urged the traditional rulers, religious centres and schools to rise against this challenge of drug abuse, especially among the youths.
Commending the Ogbomosho First Initiative for building the rehab centre, Marwa said it was the first rehab centre in the South-West built by individuals.
He urged governors to build at least three rehabilitation centres in their states, saying each senatorial district ought to have one.
He urged Ogbomosho people to also be the first set of people to demand drug-free certificate before giving their daughters or son’ hands in marriage or before allowing their sons to marry any lady. He said by so doing, youths would refrain from drugs because they would know that they would not be allowed to get married for drugs use.
The President, Ogbomosho First Initiative, Mr Olusegun Adekunle, said the association decided to establish the centre as part of its contributions towards making society a better place for everybody.
Source: Punch
