AN NGO, Malam Niggas Rehabilitation Centre Kaduna, on Tuesday raised concern on the high rate of drug abuse in the country.

The centre said there was the urgent need for government’s intervention to preserve the lives of the youth.

Malam Lawal Maduru, founder of the NGO, made this known in an interview with newsmen at the event marking the International Day against Drugs Abuse and Illicit trafficking in Kaduna.

Maduru said that the centre had been providing some of the addicted with skills acquisition to keep them busy after rehabilitation.

He said that the centre had commenced various events marking the day since June 19.

According to him, this is to create more awareness on the dangers of drugs and the need for parents to always give close attention to their children and wards.

Madaru noted that the use of illicit drugs and drugs abuse had moved from the youth to the elderly ranging from 50 years and above.

“Some of the elderly now receive locally-made substances with the aim to cure minor illness and they end up to be drugs and they become addicted,” he said.

He stressed that, over 30 to 40 per cent of youths indulged in drugs abuse adding that there was the urgent need for government to take a proactive measure to reduce the number of addicts in the country.

Maduru also called on the government to support the organisation in its gesture on rehabilitation and skills acquisition for the youth which would help to reduce the high rate of drug abuse.

He also called on the government to create the enabling environment for job creation to cater for the youth which would reduce high cases of drug use in the country.

Maduru said that the society must join hands to help make life better for the reformed patients, while appealing to the government to assist the centre.

The Government spokesman, Mr Samuel Aruwan, commended the centre for the gesture towards supporting the youth in the society.

He promised that the government would continue to give its support in the fight against drug abuse in the state.

Aruwan, who was represented by Muktar Maigamo, SSA Public Affairs, noted that the number of youths who had gone into drugs was alarming.

He, however, said that the government had established a centre, called Bureau for Substance Abuse, to fight against drug abuse in the state.

He also assured of government’s commitment toward job creation and the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in the state.

In an interview with some of the reformed patients, they disclosed that the reason they were into drugs was due to peer group influence.

The reformed patients are all school dropouts and being rehabilitated at the centre and acquiring various skills.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the 2019 International Day against Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking is ”Health for justice and justice for health”.

NAN also reports that the United Nations set aside every June 26 for the celebration.

-NAN

BE

– June 25, 2019 @ 19:20 GMT |