The rampant abuse of drugs among Nigerians especially youths has left many asking the rhetorical question: “Are youths still the leaders of tomorrow?’’
There are various kinds of illicit drugs that are widely circulated and abused as sedatives, depressants or stimulants. These drugs have diverse effects on the users. It has been established that the health hazards associated with illegal drugs far outweigh its usefulness.
- NIGERIA DAILY: How long can people go without their phones
- Kano APC crisis: Again, Buni meets Shekarau, Barau, Gaya, others
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has been trying in its capacity to clear our society of these illicit substances and give us a saner nation.
The 2021 operational statistics show that the agency made over 12,000 arrests with more than 3.4 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs recovered, thereby reducing the risk of having junkies in our communities.
In spite of all these arrests being made by the agency, every day at our land borders, airports and seaports, the circulation of illicit drugs is still alarming.
I want to plead with the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA to encourage massive advocacy which I believe will educate the general public more about the dangers of drug abuse and misuse.
Also, the officers of the agency should not relent in their efforts to fight the menace by conducting raids and arresting all the cartels and barons behind the circulation of these drugs.
Fighting this war will put an end to the series of security challenges we are facing in this country; banditry and kidnapping, killings etc.
Olufemi Fadahunsi sent this from Ado Ekiti