Leadnaija
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has decided to collaborate with GSM service providers to tackle rampant illicit drug use among youths in Enugu State.
The collaboration was officially inaugurated during the first-ever “Advocacy Walk Against Drug Abuse” on Saturday as part of MTN’s Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP).
The walk, which began and ended at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Campus Three, aimed to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of substance abuse.
The initiative forms part of the larger War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign spearheaded by MTN and NDLEA.
At the event, Enugu State NDLEA Commander, Mr Abel Wadahi, revealed alarming statistics, stating that more than 400,000 people, mostly youths, were involved in drug abuse across the state.
Represented by Deputy State Commander Mr John Oga, the agency cited recent drug integrity tests underscoring the severity of the issue.
“The youth bear the brunt of this menace, which is why we are focusing our efforts on them.
“We want to empower them as ambassadors to bridge generational gaps and help eradicate drug abuse,” Wadahi said.
He highlighted peer pressure, curiosity, and experimentation as primary factors driving substance use, naming cannabis (igbo), marijuana, and the rapidly spreading “mkpurummiri” (methamphetamine) as the most commonly abused drugs.
