Worried by the negative consequences of drug abuse resulting in rise in criminality, especially among the youths, various stakeholders have urged young people to avoid all forms of drug abuse and crimes.
Juliana Ugwu, Staff Officer/Counsellor, National Drug Law Enforce Agency (NDLEA), Drug Reduction Unit, speaking at an event organised by Newsbeatsngr.com, an online news platform, to educate youths on the need to stand against criminality and drug abuse in the country, linked every crime committed to drug abuse.
On the maiden youth summit, which had over 100 students from Isolo/Oshodi Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State in attendance, with the theme, ‘Towards a Drug/Crime free Society’, Ugwu said the “Nigeria drug survey says that 1.4 million citizens have tasted one substance or the other at a point in time,” adding that it had become a serious matter that called for concern.
Proffering solutions to the ugly trend, she urged Nigerians to look inwards to address the menace, even as she fingered adult-modeling as one of the predisposing factors to drug abuse among youths today.
He said: “Let us look inwards to address where we got it wrong. When we do that, we will be able to point our fingers to some things.
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“Let people go back home and see where they got it wrong. Let’s go back to God our creator and follow the pattern He has given us to live. I am sure that when we do that, we will reduce drug abuse to the barest minimum.”
Publisher of Newsbeats, Yemi Ola, represented at the event by Vera Anyagafu, urged the youth to shun drug abuse, criminality and negative societal vices, to enable them lead useful and purposeful lives.
According to him, “Newsbeatsngr is moved by the adverse consequences of drug abuse, which in many cases, have led to various levels of criminality, especially among young teenagers.
Also, Olusola Osibo, Superintendent of Correctional Services, Ikoyi Correctional Custodial Centre, Lagos, commended Newsbeatsngr.com for the event as, according to her, prevention is better than cure.
She listed the major factors responsible for the youth involvement in drug abuse, as peer pressure, parental neglect, as well as poverty.
While urging adults to live by examples to become better role models as most of the youth activities are informed by what adults have compelled them to do, Osibo decried the craze for materialism, which she said, has become a vogue in the nation today.
Calling on all stakeholders to create awareness on dangers of drug abuse, Osibo lamented that we do more of damage control, and less of prevention of drug abuse in Nigeria.
