The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Mojisola Adeyeye, has said that about 14.3 million Nigerians are victims of drug abuse.
Adeyeye stated this at the inaugural ceremony of the agency’s youth programme, tagged ‘Catch Them Young,’ held at the Government Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
According to her, research findings show that one out of every four high-risk drug users has been arrested for drug-related offences.
She said that the arrest included 73 per cent for drug possession, 12 per cent for theft, five per cent for sex work, four per cent for burglary, and two per cent for shoplifting.
“Note that this data only shows the number of arrests; if we consider that most crimes are unreported, then we will see that we have a huge problem on our hands,” she said.
Adeyeye, however, noted the negative effects of drug abuse on families, society, and the nation’s socio-economic development.
She explained that the situation caused NAFDAC to initiate a comprehensive, coordinated, and intensive programme, designed to reduce the prevalence of drug abuse among secondary school students.
According to the DG, drug addiction can arise from both legal such as prescribed medicines and illicit drugs.
“This programme is not designed to scare anyone but to have honest conversations with you.
“This will help you to make informed decisions with regards to illicit drug use, including alcohol consumption,’’ she said.
Speaking earlier, State Coordinator, NAFDAC, Rivers, Mr Onogwu Emmanuel, stated the reason behind the sensitisation and capacity building programme being moved to secondary schools.
He explained that the secondary students were most vulnerable, adding that the youths, as future leaders, should actively participate in preventing drug abuse.
He, however, said that two schools were selected from each of the state’s three senatorial zones for the project’s pilot phase.
In her remark, the Principal of the school, Gladys Iheumamme, commended NAFDAC for the project and urged it to sustain it to save the future of the Nigerian youth.
NAN
