NAFDAC Decries High Rate of Drug Addiction in Nigeria

NAFDAC Decries High Rate of Drug Addiction in Nigeria

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm on the high rate and prevalence of drug addicts in the country.

The agency noted that Nigeria is leading beyond the the five per cent international coverage of drug abuse globally, lamenting that the country currently has 15 per cent drug abuse rate.

The Director, Public Affairs, NAFDAC, Dr. Abubakar Ateiza Jimoh, made the revelation during a chat with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State weekend.

Jimoh said the agency has an average conservative estimate of about 15 million people who are on drugs and three million of them can be conveniently called drug addicts.

This development, he said, has made the agency to conclude that the high level of violence, kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery and even dangerous driving by some drivers are as a result of the high rate of drug abuse by some Nigerians.

He said most youths under the age bracket of 19 and 22 and even parents, both male and female have seriously engaged in taking hard concoctions different from the common cocaine and heroin which names could not be ascertained imported into the country from other African countries.

Jimoh, who is also a member of the 28- man Presidential Advisory Committee on Elimination of Drug Abuse headed by Gen. Buba Marwa (red), said the committee had held series of dialogue sessions with various stakeholders on how to reduce, eradicate, if not totally eliminate drug abuse in the country.

He said the committee would submit its findings and recommendations to the federal government next month for implementation.

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