Drug Abuse Is More Common In South-West – Marwa

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Saturday, March 20th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.),has stated that the South-West has the highest cases of drug abuse in Nigeria.

Marwa disclosed this on Friday during the inauguration of a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts built by a group known as Ogbomoso First Initiative.

According to the former Military Administrator of Lagos State, there is a connection between drug abuse and insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.

He disclosed that the rate of drug abuse in the South-West is 22.4 per cent, while that of the South-South and South-East are at 16.6 and 13.8 per cent respectively. The North-East, North-West and North-Central came after with 13.6, 12 and 10 per cent, respectively.

Marwa said, “We are facing drug challenge in Nigeria but it is a solvable challenge. To achieve this, all stakeholders must come together to solve the problem. Drug challenge does not discriminate between Christians and Muslims. There is no community that is not affected by this debilitating issue.

“Banditry, insurgency, kidnapping and other criminal activities all have their root in the use of hard substances. Until we face the menace squarely, the problem of insecurity will continue to remain with us.”