NDLEA urges parents’ interest in tackling drug abuse

The Chairman National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammed Abdullah, has said that for Nigeria to attain a drug free society parents need to be more vigilant about the activities of their children.

This is coming on the heels of the United Nations theme for 2018 international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, “listen first: listening to children and youth first step to help them grow healthy and safe”

Speaking at an event to commemorate the international day against drug trafficking and abuse, in Abuja, the chairman of NDLEA said this year’s theme is apt as the agency is now adopting the catch them young approach by reviving the drug free clubs in schools.

“These drug free clubs have been in existence, but are moribund, we have launched and decorated students with the badges, in schools so we can catch them young; we can win the battle against drug if we are all committed,” said Col. Abdullah.

He added that the NDLEA can do more in the area of law enforcement but the greater part of preventing the scourge lies in the hands of parents and the community at large.

He assured that the agency is winning the battle against drug abuse, so far, but the problem of inadequate personnel is one critical challenge the agency is grasping with.

He said currently the staff strength is about 5000, and for the agency to perform optimally more hands are needed.

Revealing how deep the menace has eaten into the fabric of the country, Professor Atenebi Amilika, member presidential advisory committee on fighting corruption, and a university Don said the situation in Nigeria is compounded by lack corrective means to address the problem.

“We have a weak responsive capacity, inadequate rehabilitation resource centres, low budget allocations for the tackling of this menace, and non mainstreaming of National Drug policy and a host of other challenges”.

The country, he explained is witnessing several economic, health and safety problems associated with illicit drug activities, among which is wide spread abuse of different types and combination of substances, an increasing sniffing of glue, gasoline and other harmful substances.

“There is growth of cannabis in increasing number of states in the country, with larger farms in Ondo Ekiti, Osun and Edo states,” he added.

He further said “this is threatening food security as available lands are diverted from the cultivation of food crops to marijuana farming”.

Prof. Amilika proposed a multi dimensional approach to solving the problem, as drug law enforcement approach is not enough.

Government he said should adopt eliminating economic, socio cultural factors that predispose youths to drug abuse.

United Nations said, the drug abuse situation is dire globally, as 460, 000 people died in 2016 as a result of drug abuse.

The project coordinator, response to drugs and related organised crime in Nigeria, United Nations Office for Drugs and crimes (UNODC), Glen Prichard, said in a paper presentation.

According to him, “1in 6 persons of the people suffering from drug use disorders have access to healthcare services.

“This calls for a need to vastly expand the possibility of intervention and treatment services, because west and Central Africa accounts for 87% of pharmaceutical opioids alone in 2016”.