The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has revealed that an estimated 14.3 million Nigerians are involved in drug abuse.
This was disclosed by the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, during the inauguration of the agency’s youth-focused initiative, “Catch Them Young,” held at Government Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
Adeyeye cited research findings indicating that one in four high-risk drug users had been arrested for drug-related offences.
The data showed that 73 percent of these arrests were for drug possession, 12 percent for theft, five percent for sex work, four percent for burglary, and two percent for shoplifting.
‘’Note that this data only shows the number of arrests; if we consider that most crimes are unreported, then we will see that we have a huge problem on our hands,’’ she stated.
Highlighting the adverse impact of drug abuse on families, society, and Nigeria’s socio-economic development, Prof. Adeyeye explained that the alarming statistics prompted NAFDAC to launch the “Catch Them Young” programme. The initiative aims to curb drug abuse among secondary school students through a comprehensive and coordinated approach.
