The wife of the Governor of Abia state, Mrs. Priscilla Otti has lauded the collaboration between Abia state government, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies in the state for their efforts to combat illicit drugs and other substance abuse in the society.
The Governor’s wife was speaking at an event to commemorate the 2024 United Nations day against illicit trafficking and drug abuse, organised by the NDLEA to create awareness on the dangers of drug abuse.
She noted that drug and substance abuse has become a major cause of death in Nigeria, accounting for the death of 2.5 million people annually according to a 2024 report by the NDLEA; even as 14.4 million people fall into the trap of addiction yearly across the country.
Represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu, the Governor’s wife described this year theme “The Evidence is Clear: invest in prevention” as quite timely and redirects us to look at the challenge of drug abuse mainly from a preventive prism.
Cross Section of participants with Rep? of the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu (c) ato the event.
According, to her, “Abia state government recently acquired a new office for the NDLEA here in Umuahia, I am also aware that Governor Alex Otti, has offered to support the agency to equip and properly manage its rehabilitation centre for addicts and other victims of drug abuse in the State”
“This is in line with the holistic agenda of the state government to develop a holistic mechanism for dealing with the crisis of drug abuse, particularly amongst vulnerable young people”
“My office is presently coordinating multiple initiatives to promote social consciousness about the dangers of drug abuse in various communities”
“We are also working with community stakeholders, particularly women leaders, to enlighten our youth on how their future and dreams could be blown apart if they fail to guard themselves against certain exposures that would ultimately lead to physiological harm, prison time or death” she stated.
However, Mrs. Otti commended the leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies in the state for their commitment to the fight against illicit drug trafficking and consumption.
Earlier in his remarks, the state commander NDLEA, Mr. Amos Adelanwa Adetunji said that drug abuse has become a global menace that needs urgent and quick response to salvage.
Adelanwa call on patent medicine dealers to desist from sailing psycho narcotic drugs to youths and appeals to the stakeholders to support them by providing operational vehicles and other logistics needed to eradicate illicit drugs and substance abuse out of the society.
