Vita Initiative, an NGO, has called on the Federal Government to take steps to curb the menace of illicit drug use and abuse to address the prevalence of violent crimes in the country.
Mr. Kingsley Aigbonoga, Convener of the Initiative, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Aigbonoga said that many vices and violent crimes in Nigeria were fuelled by the use and abuse of illicit drugs.
“I call on the Federal Government to take more practical steps to curb the menace of drug abuse in our societies as a way of fighting violent crimes in Nigeria.
“The use of drugs is associated with so many vices in society. It has direct linkage with violent crimes like armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry and even insurgency and terrorism.
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`Criminals usually need to take drugs to be able to do some of the wicked things they do, and if the use of illicit drugs is cut down, crime will be reduced to the barest minimum,’’ he said.
He said that the NGO was creating a forum to sensitise Nigerians on the ills of drug abuse ahead of the International Day against Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking on June 26.
“Our programme for that day is about sensitising youths on ills of the use and abuse of illicit drugs.
“We will try to expose them to the negative impact of drug abuse to both to the society and to their lives.
“The advocacy is not limited to the youths because drug abuse is not restricted to the youths. It also comes in many ramifications, ranging from the use of non-prescriptive drugs to the abuse of prescriptive drugs,’’ he said.
He added that the NGO would organise a three-day sensitisation programme to mark the day.
“We are organising a three-day campaign to explore actions that can be taken to ensure that the challenge is tackled.
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“Awareness can help to inform and educate the public; many people indulge in vices because they are not informed.
`The youths of today are considered to be leaders of tomorrow, and a society that is drug infested will not generate good leaders in future,’’ he said.
He added that Vita Initiative would take the advocacy against drug abuse across the country.
“We will go into secondary schools to train the teachers, we will go into states that have a high prevalence of drug users and sustain the campaigns.
“We must not neglect the youths, the right education and the right atmosphere for development will go a long way to build our youths to become good leaders of tomorrow,’’ he said.
He called on government to provide rehabilitation centres across the country to help rehabilitate addicts.
“There are no adequate corrective and reformation centres for drug addicts, mental health is becoming serious because of drug abuse and we need centres that can adequately take care of mental health.
“We need an action plan from the federal and state governments on how to end the menace,’’ he said. (NAN)
