By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
As 2019 general election approaches, Northern youth under the auspices of the Northern Youth Assembly of Nigeria (NYAN) Tuesday launched a campaign against violence and drug abuse among youth in Bauchi State.
Speaking during the occasion, the national speaker of the assembly Ukasha Hamza Rahama explained that the campaign became imperative “because some irresponsible politicians” might use drug on some youth to cause violence in order to achieve their political mission.
He opined that although there were agitations for youth’s active participation in politics, they should not belittle themselves to become political thugs of candidates “who will later dump them after election.”
Rahama assured that the assembly would partner with relevant stakeholders in the fight to eradicate drug and substance abuse in the society.
The speaker advocated the establishment of skill acquisition centres to address youth restiveness that make them indulge in drug addiction, and called for the establishment of rehabilitation centres for the addicts as part of measures to curb the menace.
Also speaking, the Medical Director of PAHLYCON Hospital Bauchi, Dr. Hassan Mohammed Garba, who is also the chairman of Guild of Medical Directors of Private Hospitals in Bauchi State, promised to support the assembly to find lasting solution to the menace in the society.
In his remarks, the Representative of the Bauchi State Commandant of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Muhammed Bawa, who attributed proliferation of illegal drugs in the society to unauthorised sale of cold syrups at chemists, disclosed that the northern party of the country had the highest number of drug abusers.
