Some experts have called for combined education, prevention, rehabilitation and enforcement to save youths from drug abuse.

They said the coordinated national response was not just a moral obligation but a national imperative, as drug abuse among Nigerian youths had become a silent and deadly epidemic.

The experts made the call in separate interviews in Lagos on Monday.

The Chief Executive Officer, Vshurn Properties Network Nig. Ltd., Sunday Wealth, said that while attention had often centred on the rising drug abuse, less focus has been placed on the broader consequences – especially its financial, health, mental, and security toll on the nation.

According to him, substance abuse drains resources, and many young addicts spend recklessly, often turning to theft or other criminal means to sustain their habits.

He said that its negative impacts included careers cut short and opportunities lost, resulting in long-term poverty and economic instability.

Mr Wealth said, “The security dimension is especially alarming. Drug abuse is frequently linked to cultism, armed robbery, sexual violence, and other violent crimes.

“As youth involvement grows, communities are left in fear, with public trust and safety deteriorating. As a professional in the real estate sector, I must highlight another disturbing trend—how proceeds from drug-related crimes are being laundered through property acquisition. Across various towns and cities, individuals with no legitimate means of income are purchasing land and property with large sums of untraceable cash.

“This undermines the integrity of the real estate industry, inflates property prices, and distorts market values. More troubling is the complicity—whether witting or unwitting—of some industry players who fail to conduct proper due diligence. When real estate becomes a laundering tool, it not only legitimises crime but also funds the very drug networks endangering our youths.”

He said to safeguard the sector, regulatory bodies must enforce stricter know your customer (KYC) requirements, adding that the collaboration between estate professionals, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies was critical to closing these loopholes.

Also speaking, an administrator at a non-governmental organisation, Cute Kids Haven Foundation, Olaronke Nofiu, said, “As parent, I saw how drug abuse silently destroyed our youths and weakened the social fabric of our society.’’

Ms Nofiu said drug abuse often becomes a lifestyle that’s hard to fund; after exhausting their own pockets, they resort to stealing from home, borrowing excessively, or getting involved in petty crime.

She said that the health damage from hard drugs was real and devastating.

She said, “Youths who should be building strength and productivity are instead facing chronic illnesses such as liver failure, kidney damage, and mental breakdowns. Some end up with permanent damage from prolonged use, while others lose their lives entirely. From my observations, drug abuse is a major contributor to the rising cases of mental instability we now see.

“Some young men and women end up being abandoned because families can’t cope with the aggression, paranoia, or extreme mood swings they display. Others end up in the psychiatric ward, misunderstood and stigmatised.”

Ms Nofiu said that the link between drug abuse and insecurity was glaring; many of the criminal cases that pass through the justice system, from theft to assault to cult-related killings, often have drugs somewhere in the background.

According to her, when drug use becomes normalised among youths, society becomes vulnerable to crime and instability.

She said such acts required more than just punishment, adding that prevention, counselling, and empowerment – parents, religious institutions, schools, and government must all rise up to fight the menace.

“If we don’t act decisively, we risk losing an entire generation to this silent killer,’’ she said.

Also, Oluwatobi Bolarinwa said that the use of drugs among youth had become a pandemic that required urgent attention.

Mr Bolarinwa said, “The youths are lazier, resorting to artificial strength and inspiration; this is what you find in every area of endeavour. Drug addiction undermines financial stability and damages mental health, often leading to crime and insecurity. If you examine the states or countries with high rates of drug use among youth, you will also find a correlation with increased insecurity, terrorism, and prostitution.

“I recommend a strong focus on prevention through public awareness campaigns, international intervention, and increased parental guidance and awareness as essential tools to address this menace.” 

(NAN)