NDLEA’s Babafemi: Drug Abuse Disaster Calls for Entire-of-Society Response
Nigeria’s worsening drug abuse disaster requires a coordinated, whole-of-society response involving federal, state and group stakeholders, Director of Media and Advocacy on the Nationwide Drug Legislation Enforcement Company, Femi Babafemi, has mentioned.
Talking in an interview with ARISE Information on Sunday, Babafemi acknowledged the severity of substance abuse within the nation, warning that denial would solely worsen the scenario.
“Completely, there isn’t a must reside in denial that we’ve got an issue or a problem of substance abuse within the nation,” he mentioned, referencing findings from the 2018 Drug Use Survey Report.
His feedback adopted a disturbing report of a decomposing physique of a younger man retrieved from the Opalindi underbridge canal in Lagos Island, days after he was declared lacking. The sufferer was reportedly suspected to have been below the affect of illicit medicine earlier than the incident.
Babafemi described the incident as one of many tragic penalties of unchecked substance abuse. “If one goes deep into it, one of many penalties is probably going dying, which was very unlucky within the case of the younger man you reported earlier,” he mentioned.
Citing information from the 2025 World Drug Report by the United Nations Workplace on Medication and Crime, he famous that Nigeria’s drug use fee stands at 14.4 per cent almost 3 times the worldwide common with tens of millions combating drug use problems.
He defined that the company is tackling the disaster from two main fronts: drug demand discount and drug provide discount. “After I discuss of drug demand discount, that’s the place we lead advocacy to sensitise the general public, to lift consciousness by way of our Warfare Towards Drug Abuse social advocacy initiative,” he mentioned.
In line with him, the initiative entails outreach to colleges, markets, motor parks, worship centres and native communities, working alongside faith-based {groups} and civil society organisations. “We’re mobilising all people. The strategy is a whole-of-society strategy,” he acknowledged.
Babafemi added that rehabilitation stays a important pillar of the company’s technique. “We have now 30 therapy and counselling centres throughout the nation in the present day, and by the grace of God, we might be having a further seven this price range 12 months,” he mentioned, noting that assist is obtainable for these prepared to hunt assist.
He additionally recommended efforts by the Lagos State Authorities to fight substance abuse, notably drug integrity exams for business drivers. “That was an superior initiative by the state. That’s getting folks to purchase in and take possession of this effort,” he mentioned.
On the effectiveness of such programmes, Babafemi argued that consciousness and deterrence are fast features. “The truth that drivers know they are going to be examined and, if optimistic, discouraged from happening the highway that alone is a deterrent,” he mentioned.
He concluded by stressing that sustained collaboration throughout all ranges of presidency and society stays the one viable path to reversing Nigeria’s rising drug abuse statistics. “We can not relaxation on our oars. Everyone has a job to play if we’re to chop down the demand for illicit substances, particularly amongst our younger folks,” Babafemi mentioned.
Triumph Ojo
Times Nigeria