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.”