Schoolchildren have been warned of the negative effects of drug abuse on their education, family lives, and their future.
The warning was given by different speakers including representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), and Pastor Osita Collins.
The warning was given the commemoration of the 2024 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, organised by CRAN in Lagos.
CRAN President, Olalekan Olabulo in his welcome address described drug abuse as the root of the major challenges confronting Nigeria as a nation.
He also called on the government and the security agencies to channel more energy and resources into the sensitization of the people, especially students.
The CRAN President said ” According to him, “As members of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, we have taken it as our modest support and contribution to the society to fight crimes through our sensitization of students and other members of the public on drug abuse.”
Assistant Commander Mallun Musa in charge of the Media and Advocacy, Lagos State Command of the NDLEA, while speaking on the theme of the day, ‘The Evidence is Clear, Invest in Prevention’, urged the students who were invited to the event, to stay away from drugs, be good ambassadors and not to allow peer pressure to change them.
He said Illicit drugs are the fuel to perpetrate crimes, adding that it will destroy their ambition.
The spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin admonished the school children not to experiment with drugs, adding that “the moment you take drugs, you are no longer in control of your faculty.”
He warned them against committing crimes and getting involved in drug abuse and cultism.
He said those who have committed such crimes at a young age would be tried at juvenile courts and sent to juvenile homes.
The Chief Executive Officer, of Jesus Care Reformation Centre for Drug Abuse and Misuse, Daniel Osita Collins called on all Nigerians to join hands to rescue the young generation by reporting any crime around us to the police.
“All must be done to discourage those who are promoting drugs and chemical substances with their music, movies and their clubs,” he added.
He also expressed worry that children are taking after the musicians as their role models.
He noted that Cultism is the main pillar of other deviant behaviors, as activities of cultists are found to be disruptive and damaging to human lives and careers.”.
” Various acts of violent assaults, brigandage, examination malpractices, drug abuse, rape, kidnapping and murder have been traced to secret cults in many institutions of higher learning. ”
The clergyman noted that ” Many of the reports associated with secret cults are not mere fairy tales but destructive realities. Even those that pass for our benign neglect are often bizarre and factual tragedies.”
“The typical human response of course has mingled fear with sensation. Event of such enormous dimension affect the minds and lives not of those who actually witness them but also those who are involved. ”
He stressed; “The worrisome manifestation of organised crime in our homes, on the streets, and most especially in tertiary institutions across the nation, is a clear signal that, if concrete actionable and sustainable steps are not taken now, the future is extremely bleak.
“We have reached a low point in our societal ethics, values, and belief system. In contemporary times, many wonder why we are grappling with a younger generation that hardly sees anything good about society, a generation that is saucy, arrogant and grossly averse to constituted authority, generation that will carry arms and ammunition against the state at the best choice among many alternatives, just to settle scores!”
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