Buba Marwa, chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has raised concern over the growing rate of drug and substance abuse, describing it as a serious danger to Nigeria’s security, economy, and social order.
Gatekeepers News reports that he made this known in Abuja during the third annual “Fly Above the High” conference organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network.
Marwa, who was represented by Julius Dzer, the agency’s FCT strategic commander, stressed that drug addiction does not only harm users but also affects families, communities, and the nation’s development.
The NDLEA boss explained that the agency has strengthened its approach by targeting both the supply of illegal drugs and reducing demand through awareness and intervention programmes.
According to the chairman, “it affects our brains and also how difficult it is to come out of it. It erases advancement for the youth. It affects the families, and it affects the society”.
“It affects personal development. It affects societal development. It affects the economy. It affects the security of the country,” Marwa said.
“Don’t attempt to experiment. Don’t attempt to start it. It holds no good for anyone.”
Also speaking at the event, Boni Haruna highlighted the need for joint efforts in tackling drug abuse, noting that addiction impacts not just individuals but their families and society at large.
“Influence is stronger than intention; who you move with is very important, and addiction is not only disruptive, it is destructive,” he said.
“Nobody makes it in life if you are addicted to drugs because it takes control of your mind. It takes control of their entire system, and at the end of the day, you become a problem for your family, yourself, and society.
“The war against drug addiction should not be left to those groups like the ones without attending their programme.”
In his remarks, Adekunle Adesina, president of the Recovery Advocacy Network, called for urgent action in addressing substance use disorders, warning that delay can worsen the condition of affected persons and their families.
“When we choose speed over silence, we catch the descent before it becomes a crash. We must stop treating addiction as a family secret and start treating it as a medical and social emergency that requires Immediate, fearless action,” he added.
