Prevention remains best option to tackle drug abuse – Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said prevention is the most effective strategy against drug abuse in Nigeria.

Speaking at the United Nations (UN) International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking event organized by UNODC, NDLEA, MTN Foundation, and the European Union (EU) at the State House in Abuja Wednesday, Tinubu noted that prevention not only saves lives but also conserves resources that would otherwise be spent on treatment and rehabilitation.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, Tinubu pointed out that the theme of this year’s World Drug Day, “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention,” underscores the need for a global and local commitment to preventing drug abuse.

“By allocating resources towards evidence-based prevention programmes, we can break the vicious cycle of drug abuse and protect our youth from falling prey to this menace,” Tinubu said.

Earlier, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, reported that 14.3 million Nigerians are drug abusers, with 10.6 million of them abusing cannabis.

He noted that the agency had arrested 52,901 drug traffickers, including 48 barons, and secured over 9,000 convictions in the past three years.

During this period, he said NDLEA seized over 7.6 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit substances, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and cannabis. Marwa emphasized the agency’s preventive measures such as blocking distribution channels and targeting cannabis farms.

Dr Oliver Stolpe, the outgoing UNODC Country Representative, recommended expanding the successful school-based drug prevention programme UNPLUGGED to all 28,000 public and private secondary schools in Nigeria and enhancing resilience against drug use among out-of-school children through sports-based initiatives like LINE UP LIVE UP (LULU).

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN; Chairman of MTN Foundation, Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi; and guest lecturer Dr. Vincent Udenze of Intersect Consortium, among others, called for collective efforts to curb illicit drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, the Edo State House of Assembly has urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

Deputy Speaker Mrs Maria Oligbi-Edeko made the call during a rally by Smile Africa International Youth Initiative in Benin, marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

She stressed that declaring a state of emergency is crucial for addressing and tackling the menace, as drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking contribute significantly to criminality in the state and the country.

By Baba Martins, Abbas Jimoh (Abuja) & Usman A. Bello (Benin)