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NEDC MD laments increase in drug abuse induced crimes

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Muhammad Goni Alkali has lamented the increase in the use of illicit drugs, which according to him, has led to serious increase in crimes and criminality within the society.

Mohammed Goni was speaking at the closing ceremony of a 3-week sensitization campaign against drug abuse for 150 youths in Gombe State by the NEDC Education Endowment Fund (EEF).

The training, which closed in Gombe on Monday, also trained the youths to serve as catalysts for drug abuse prevention campaign to other youths in the society.

The MD who was represented by the General Manager, Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Sa’adatu Shehu, added that the influx of such illicit drugs into the North-East had supported terrorism and other nefarious activities in the region.

He further said that a recent survey has indicated that drug abuse was common among undergraduates, secondary school students, youths, commercial bus drivers, sex workers, among others.

The Managing Director, NEDC, highlighted reasons for the abuse to include physical performance, stress, poor socio-economic factors and low educational background.

According to him, “this negative impact of drug abuse on public health underscore the need for all hands to be on deck to tackle the challenges assuring that the NEDC will always occupy the front seat in that direction.

Also speaking, the state Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Okechukwu Nkere, said that as the nation prepares to go to the polls, the youths should shun politicians that would entice them with drugs to perpetrate violence during elections.

According to him, since Nigeria returned to democracy, her elections have been characterized by widespread violence with youths as the major actors in the theater of electoral violence in the country.

Okechukwu Nkere also observed that most of the election violence being perpetrated by the youths was induced by drugs, saying that the youths must not lend themselves to be used in truncating the nation’s democracy.

In his presentation, Presiding Director, David Folaranmi Foundation, facilitator of the programme, said that the aim of the programme was to achieve a reduction in the rate of substance abuse not only in Gombe State but the entire North East sub-region.

According to him, the prevalence of drug use in the region was very high with about 35 percent of youth involved in drug abuse.

David Folaranmi expressed the hope that the training would achieve the desired objective as over 10 thousand youth had already been sensitized under the peer to peer drug prevention campaign.

Earlier in her welcome address, Chairperson of NEDC EEF Board of Trustees, Hajiya Asama’u Mohammed, said that the programme will provide the youth the needed counsel to stay clear of psychotropic substances.

Represented by Chairman, Sports and Special Projects of EEF, AVM Mohammed Mohammed rtd, Asmau Mohammed said that the knowledge they acquired in the workshop will help in navigating their lives to become good citizens in the society.

She commended teachers for the pivotal role played as teachers in shaping the character of the youth” Apart from being their teachers, you also have a complementary parental responsibility within and outside the confines of the school to ensure that students are very well-behaved” she said.

The EEF Trustees Champions also commended the NDLEA for leading the war against illicit drugs and substance abuse saying, “I commend you for the wonderful job aimed at ensuring a drug free society.”

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