NDLEA raises alarm as three million people battle drug addiction in North Wes

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Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, shared this information on Monday during the launch of the Northwest geopolitical zone campaign against illicit drug use in Kaduna. The campaign, under the theme ‘Stop Drug Abuse and Domestic Violence in Our Communities’, seeks to address the increasing issue of drug abuse and its related social problems.

The initiative was launched by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and is organized by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in partnership with the NDLEA. Speaking to the gathered stakeholders, Marwa emphasized that drug abuse is a critical public health crisis that requires immediate and collective action.

“The 2018 National Drug Use Survey conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed an alarming reality: 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15–64 use psychoactive substances,” he said.

Marwa urged state governments, legislators, local authorities, and private sector stakeholders to work together with the NDLEA to develop sustainable solutions to the drug problem. He also called on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community members to actively engage in preventing drug abuse, supporting those affected, and ensuring drug traffickers are held accountable.

“The success of this campaign requires the support of everyone. Parents, community leaders, traditional rulers, pastors, and imams must strengthen their resolve to prevent drug abuse, support those affected by it, and ensure that drug traffickers face the full force of the law,” he emphasized.

To tackle drug addiction, the NDLEA has set up 30 counseling and rehabilitation centers nationwide. These centers provide psychosocial support, medical care, referrals, and assist with the social reintegration of recovering drug users.

Marwa revealed that over the past four years, 22,047 individuals have been counseled, treated, and rehabilitated through these centers.

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