The Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 stated that for Nigeria to get out of the present quagmire posed by corruption and other forms of crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery and drug abuse, Nigerians in private and public sectors must through their actions, inculcate in the youths the culture of accountability, service, hard work and national pride.
Magu made the assertion through Usman Imam, Zonal Head of the Commission in the South-East, during the commemoration of the United Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, organized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, held at their Independence Layout office.
While bemoaning the terrible effects of drug abuse and internet fraud on the youth, which he attributed to failure of parents, government and other social institutions in taking responsibilities of their mandates, he warned that the future was bleak, unless urgent actions are taken.
He said: “A sociologist once said that every nation is a generation away from anarchy if it does not take care of her youths and the vulnerable.
“Either we train our youths positively, and reap a better Nigeria, or negatively, and wait for them to unleash problems unto the society.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the State Commander of NDLEA, Adeyemi Adeofe, who gave a cursory insight into the organization’s achievements over the past six months, noted that the occasion was to be used to strengthen actions and cooperation from stakeholders in achieving a global society free of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
“The day is symbolic, as it has provided a platform to educate the masses, mobilize political will and resources, and celebrate as well as reinforce achievements of humanity on this issue of public concern,” he said.
Adeofe, while noting that drug abuse reinforces crimes, thanked the Federal Government and its partners for their deliberate efforts in tackling the menace of drug abuse through the implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP), 2014-2019. He further stressed the need for parents to live up to their responsibilities.
In a public lecture to mark the occasion, Prof. Odera Okoye of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, who spoke on the theme of the programme, “Health for Justice, Justice for Health”, described drug abuse and illicit distribution of drugs as one of the greatest and most serious problem facing the Nigeria youth.
She observed that some risk factors responsible for drug abuse include separation from family and friends, peer pressure, low academic expectations/pressure among others.
“The problem affects everyone, individuals, family, community and the country and the solution is to acknowledge that even drug addicts have rights to adequate health care and how they are to be treated,” she declared.
The event which featured drama, speech and dance presentations by students from Federal School of Social Works, Oji River, Zahava Base Secondary School and Immaculate Heart Secondary School respectively, had in attendance students from various secondary and tertiary institutions and heads of law enforcement agencies in the state.