14% of Nigerians engage in drug abuse: UNODC

The United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC) says 14.4 per cent of Nigerians engage in drug abuse.
This was disclosed by Oliver Stolpe, UNODC representative to Nigeria, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mr Stolpe spoke at the third national youth conference on drug abuse organised by the Centre for Ethical Rebirth Among Nigerian Youth, a non-governmental organisation.
He added that 27.7 per cent of the 14.4 per cent of those concerned were youths.
“One in every 10 drug users is a woman. This has affected women and girls proportionately. Data collected around the globe suggest that this has elevated cases of gender-based violence.
“We must take decisive action in order not to make us lose sight. We will support the Nigerian government to pursue (an) everlasting solution,’’ Mr Stolpe explained.
Abhay Thakur, India High Commissioner to Nigeria, said his country was taking a holistic approach in the fight against drug abuse.
Mr Thakur noted that the country’s national policy on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances was based directly on its constitution’s directive principles.
He stated, “The government policy on the subject flows from this constitutional provision and is also guided by the international conventions. The Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act provides the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
“Our apex national agency has the power to combat the drug menace, the mandate to control, regulate and monitor the manufacture, distribution, import, export, transportation and any substance which the government may declare to be a controlled substance under the NDPS Act.”
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette

Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Heading 1
20,000 pigs killed in Canada wildland fires
The fire incident at the farm occurred as 200 separate wildfires were burning across different parts of Ontario, prompting evacuation of residents.

States
Court remands Anambra teenager over alleged defilement
The teenager faces a one-count charge of defilement.

States
Yobe woos 50 foreign, local investorsÂ
Mr Chikaji said, “Yobe is open for business, not just in aspiration but in practice.”

Opinion
Azu Ishiekwene: Shettima’s final test
Vice-President Kashim Shettima cannot be blamed for having doubts about whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would renominate him as his running mate for a second term.

Anti-Corruption
Presidency memo justifies Gbajabiamila’s role in NUPRC N54 billion revenue controversy
But the memo defended the chief of staff, asserting that Mr Gbajabiamila was acting under Mr Tinubu’s orders.

World
UN says over 500 Rohingya refugees feared dead after two ships sink off Myanmar coast
A second boat, reportedly carrying about 280 people, is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.





