The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has revealed that approximately 14.3 million Nigerians are affected by drug abuse.
She made this statement during the inaugural ceremony of the agency’s youth program, Catch Them Young, held at the Government Secondary School in Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
Adeyeye shared research findings that show one in every four high-risk drug users has been arrested for drug-related offenses. She detailed that the arrests included 73% for drug possession, 12% for theft, 5% for sex work, 4% for burglary, and 2% for shoplifting. “This data reflects only the number of arrests; considering that many crimes go unreported, we have a significant problem on our hands,” she remarked.
The Director-General emphasized the negative impact of drug abuse on families, society, and the nation’s socio-economic development. She explained that these challenges prompted NAFDAC to launch a comprehensive, coordinated, and intensive program aimed at reducing the prevalence of drug abuse among secondary school students.
Adeyeye noted that drug addiction could stem from both legal (prescribed medications) and illegal drugs. “This program is not intended to scare anyone but to foster honest conversations that help you make informed decisions about illicit drug use, including alcohol consumption,” she said.
Earlier, the State Coordinator of NAFDAC in Rivers, Onogwu Emmanuel, explained that the sensitization and capacity-building program was specifically moved to secondary schools due to the vulnerability of students in this age group. He added that the youth, as the future leaders, should actively engage in efforts to prevent drug abuse. For the pilot phase of the project, two schools were selected from each of the state’s three senatorial zones.
In her remarks, the principal of the school, Gladys Iheumamme, praised NAFDAC for the initiative and urged the agency to continue the program to safeguard the future of Nigerian youth.
