Journalists, Stakeholders Seek Unity Over War On Drug Abuse In Nigeria

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Journalists, under the aegis of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, CRAN and security stakeholders used the occasion to call for more collaborative efforts to check drug abuse amongst the youths.

The call was made at the event organised by CRAN, with the theme, ‘Addressing Drug Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crisis’.

The President of CRAN, Mr. Olalekan Olabulo, said the wave of drug addiction has tipped the nation into a boiling point as the youths, especially students and pupils, now abuse drugs everywhere daily.

He said, “Most of them imbibe substances like cough syrups, Indian hemp and off-the-counter drugs like rophynol, tramadol, diazepam and lexotan, which are controlled drugs that should only be sold after a doctor’s prescription”.

“The consequences have led to the prevailing cases of banditry, kidnapping, unwanted pregnancies, burglary, broken homes and an upsurge in crime.”
“The crisis has become worse, exacerbating into economic, social and physiological crisis, which if unchecked, portends grave danger to the society at large.”
Olabulo said CRAN’s stance in keying into the United Nations programme was to stem the underlying fact that drug abuse and human trafficking have become a horrifying menace that were tearing the fabrics of the society, with attendant effect on the youths.

The Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Lagos State Command, Mr. Ayinde Aileru, said hard drugs were posing a great threat to the nation.
The Commander, who was represented by the Assistant Commandant, Asset and Financial Investigations, Mr. Oke Semai, said the youths must know the dangers involved in engaging in drugs.

He urged parents to watch out for some signs in their children, with a view to detect if they were into drugs or not.
“Some of the signs are withdrawal from friends, physical appearance, bloodshot eyes, poor performance at school, changes in physical appearance, sudden wearing of perfume, licking sweets among others.”

“Drugs are any substances that get to your body and changes your thinking, behaviour; they are controlled drugs and should not be taken without medical prescription,” Semai said.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, who was represented by the Command’s spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said drugs intake was a major contributor to crime.

He said, “Taking drugs can get you mad, destabilise your future. Students should shun crimes, remain focus, so that you will not end in prison”.
“Be careful, don’t try to engage in drugs, do not fall for peers pressure, when you start engaging in drugs, it will truncate your future and you will become a nonentity.”
“When a minor or teenager commits a grievous offences, he or she will be jail in the juvenile prison except when it is a minor offences.”

An official of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Mr. Taiwo Adeboyega, said that human traffickers take drugs to sexually abuse their victims.

“Sometimes, drugs are added to victims’ drinks to make them do what they don’t want to do.”

Hundreds of students from various schools in Lagos State were invited to mark this year drug day including officials of NEMA, who lectured the participants including the students on some of safety tips during emergency situations.