Drug Abuse, Tickling Time Bomb, NDLEA Warns

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared that drug abuse among the youths is a time bomb tickling very fast and needs to be addressed.

The Kaduna Zonal Commander of the agency, Mr. Pius Gamde, stated this on at a Town Hall meeting with the theme “Youth Development and National Security” organised by the Nigerian Youth Parliament, on Thursday in Kaduna.

Gamde, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Zonal Commander Administration  & Logistic, Kaku Mshelia, said drug abused among the youth is one of the factors responsible for the security challenges facing the country and needs to be contended.

Gamde said: “Presently one of the main catalysts of the numerous security challenges facing the country is the problem of drug abuse. Illicit drug trade proved to be an insidious threat that finances terrorism, instigate corruption, undermines economic development and erode state authority.”

According to him, drug abuse is a predisposing factor to the commission of many criminal offences such as murder, armed robbery, rape, cultism, terrorism, kidnapping and insurgency in the country.

He noted that of recent kidnappers have added the provision of drugs like Tramadol 225mg and Indian hemp as part of the ransom to be paid for the release of abducted persons.

He noted that   as a result of  the following that the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, launched the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign to create the necessary awareness and reduce drugs abuse which will drastically stem the rising insecurity in the country.

The NDLEA Zonal Commander said drug abuse and trafficking forms the base line of most crimes which negatively threatens the Nigerian security.

He said the Kaduna state command of the NDLEA had successfully prevented and reduced to the minimum the circulation of various forms of drugs from January 2022 to date through the arrest of 175 suspects and seizure of 1,814.236kg of drugs across the length and breadth of the state.

Gamde said the growing use of illegal drugs by young people is very harmful to society as indicated in the increasing number of crimes across the country.

“It has led many teenagers and adults to lose track of their focus in life, living in ghettos and posing serious threats to the larger population, by extension National security through the commission of various crimes and as more people become addicted or dependent on drugs our society is in imminent danger of chaos and destruction as it keeps breeding criminals.  This is a time bomb tickling very fast and needs to be contend by all and sundry.  Therefore, all hands must be on deck to support our security agencies and the Military to combat the security challenges of our dear country. A stitch in time they say saves nine,” he said.

Also speaking on the occasion, the acting Vice Chancellor of the Kaduna State University (KASU), Prof. Yohanna Teila, said economic growth is the key to fighting insecurity.

Teila, who was represented by the Dean, Students Affairs, Prof. Terhemba Wuam, maintained that security is not just about deployment of the military and police across the country, but human development as well.

“I see security not in terms of providing security or military or police presence across the country.

“I see the concept of development as security, when you have human development, you are going to have security.

“So,  if we are to have security, we ought to have human development,” he said.

He said if there is development and the youths are engaged, the challenge of insecurity will be tackled.

He said the youth must acquire quality education, which is the foundation upon which the economy can grow.

“So, we have to have quality education. This means our primary schools have to be equipped, our secondary schools have to be up to standard as well as the tertiary sector,” Teila said.

He said: “if the quality of education is poor, you are not likely to have youth development.”

He said policy makers, managers of the economy and leaders need to appropriately set the right target for the growth of the Nigerian economy to witness growth of at least  from five to 10 per cent annually.

“If the Nigerian economy is unable to witness economic growth averaging above five per cent annually, we are unlikely to witness economic development and if we are unlikely to witness economic development, more likely the challenge of insecurity will continue to persist,” he said.