Key factors influencing addiction among youths include joblessness, broken home structures, displacement, peer pressure and poor knowledge about the hazards of drug abuse.

Drug abuse among adolescents in Maiduguri, Borno State, has reached unprecedented levels, highlighting the need to intensify efforts to fight the scourge.

Commemorating the United Nations International Day against Illicit Drug Abuse and Trafficking on Wednesday, June 26, Iliyasu Mani, the Borno State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said drug abuse had a devastating impact on society, particularly on young people “who suffer the worst effects of substance use disorders”.

The theme of this year’s World Drug Day was “Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention”.

Mani said that in the past year the agency had waged a relentless war against abuse and the trafficking of illicit drugs.

“The Borno State Command has made significant progress in the war against drug abuse, with 1,066 suspects arrested and 3,577.3kg of assorted substances seized.

The command has also established drug-free clubs in secondary schools and tertiary institutions and carried out community advocacy, as well as public awareness programmes on radio.

“The effort of the Borno State government under the leadership of governor Babagana Umara Zulum is commendable and the command is committed to continuing the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.”

Bukar Modu, the Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics at NDLEA’s Borno State Command, told RNI that the agency was committed to creating awareness on the dangers of drug abuse and it was doing its utmost to eliminate the processing, manufacture, distribution, trafficking and usage of drugs across Nigeria.

The agency had strengthened its prevention strategy by establishing a counselling and rehabilitation centre within the premises of the Borno State Command, as well as drop-in facilities across secondary and tertiary education institutions that would serve as drug abuse research centres for the benefit of all.

“It is the responsibility of the NDLEA to reduce the demand and supply of illicit drugs. The best way to achieve this is through public awareness campaigns that emphasise the dangers drug abuse and addiction.”

He said the agency had put in place strategic anti-drugs operations, which included stationing NDLEA officials at country and state borders, airports, seaports, highways and road security checkpoints to carry out random searches.

The NDLEA also relied on a network of informers who provided tip-offs and intelligence on drug trafficking.

“World Drug Day is a reminder of the need to amplify our efforts to combat the menace of illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria through collective action.”

Modu said mitigating drug abuse and trafficking was not the sole responsibility of the federal and state governments; the public and relevant stakeholders needed to step up to fight the menace.

In May, in an effort to crack down on drug trafficking, the Nigerian Senate had proposed the death penalty as the new maximum punishment, replacing life imprisonment.

Nigeria had shifted from a transit point to a major producer, consumer and distributor of illicit drugs, it said.

However, legislators and civil society organisations opposed the proposal. They expressed concern about the death penalty’s irreversible nature and the potential for wrongful convictions.

At a conference marking International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Oluwafunke Adeoye, the executive director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, said the Senate should review and reverse its proposal, adding that it represented a severe setback for human dignity and criminal justice reforms.

Countries with high execution rates for drug offences, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, still faced serious drug problems, she said. Instead, the government needed to invest in prevention.

Yahaya Alhaji Donuma, a lawyer in Maiduguri, told RNI that trafficking and the abuse of drugs among young people had become a menace that caused many challenges in society, including street violence, thuggery, theft and robbery.

Commenting on the Senate’s proposal, he said: “Here is the question: Will the proposed capital punishment end illicit drugs trafficking in Nigeria? If not, it’s better for the government to stick to the previous maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

“The judiciary has a vital role to play in combating illicit drugs trafficking through a well-defined legal framework that will guide the government and relevant agencies in the fight and the crackdown on cartel leaders and perpetrators. This is the way to ensure prevention of drug abuse among the populace, particularly youths.”

Grema Kachalla Kyari, a security analyst and the director of the El-Kanemi Peace and Development Centre in Maiduguri, said many insurgents used drugs and were under the influence – “in a stupor” – when they attacked and killed innocent people.

“Boko Haram [Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād – JAS] and ISWAP [Islamic State West Africa Province] insurgents, although mostly driven by ideology, often take drugs before they commit their heinous crimes and they rely on money made from drug trafficking to survive.

Kyari said drugs also played a part in the recruitment of adolescents and it was not unusual for insurgents to use drugs to lure jobless youths who roamed Maiduguri’s streets.

“Once addicted, youths are prime targets for recruitment.”

The United Nations said the global drug problem presented a multifaceted challenge that touched the lives of millions worldwide.

From individuals struggling with substance use disorders to communities grappling with the consequences of drug trafficking and organised crime, the impact of drugs was far-reaching and complex.

“Central to addressing this challenge is the imperative to adopt a scientific evidence-based approach that prioritises prevention and treatment.”

Effective drug policies needed to be rooted in science and research, including full respect for human rights, compassion and a deep understanding of the social, economic and health implications of drug use.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was continuing to work with the Nigerian government to prevent drug abuse among young people.

Key factors that influenced addiction among adolescents included joblessness, broken home structures and displacement, peer pressure, and poor knowledge about the hazards associated with drug abuse.

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO