Illicit drug use fuelling insecurity — Group
Variety of addictive substances, including alcohol, cigarettes and drugs
To curb insecurity in the country, a group, Young African Leaders’ Initiative (YALI) has urged governments at all levels to intensify efforts at controlling circulation of illicit drugs.
Its State Coordinator, Mr. Hameed Abiodun, speaking at the campaign held at the American Space of the Bauchi State Library, said increase in banditry, kidnapping and criminality in the North was fueled by drug abuse among youths.
Abiodun said: “For insecurity to be addressed, governments at all levels must step up control of illicit drugs. The purpose of this project is to curb menace of drugs abuse in the North. This is a very critical time for us. There is an alarming statistics that says the usage of illicit drugs is now reduced to the age of 11.
“Insecurity is bedeviling our society and there is no way we can overcome it without addressing the causes, one of which is drug abuse. Somebody that is high on drugs will not be logical in thinking.”
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator, Mohammed Zahradeen Umar, said YALI was a programme funded by the United States and “it is aimed at grooming young people in Africa and training them on leadership skills…”
He said the sensitisation on the dangers of drug abuse was implemented in five Northern states of Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Plateau and Bauchi.