The Gombe State Youth Parliament on Saturday launched Campaign Against Drugs and Other Social Atrocities, aimed at curbing the rising cases of drug abuse, cultism, cybercrime, gender-based violence, and other social vices among young people in the state.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the launch, which took place at BCG Hill in Gombe, attracted representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), officials of the Ministry for Youth and Sports Development, leaders of youth organisations, and members of the media.
Speaking at the event, Speaker of the Gombe State Youth Parliament, Aliyu Danladi, described the campaign as “a movement of hope, awareness, and responsibility,” adding that the Parliament is determined to safeguard the future of young people from the dangers of substance abuse and other destructive habits.
“Today’s gathering at BCG Hill is not just a hike. It is a movement of hope, awareness, and responsibility,” Danladi said. “We are here to declare, with one voice, that the future of Gombe State will not be surrendered to the dangers of drug abuse, cultism, cybercrime, gender-based violence, and other vices that destroy the dreams of our young people.”
Citing the 2018 National Drug Use Survey conducted by NDLEA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Danladi expressed concern that nearly 15 million Nigerians—mostly youths have used drugs, with the North-East region among those with the highest prevalence rates.
“This reality demands not just enforcement, but also education, prevention, and community engagement,” he said.
He explained that the CADOSA campaign will involve a year-long series of activities, including sensitisation through social media, radio programmes, school outreach, and community engagements across all constituencies in Gombe State.
“Our goal is simple: to inspire young people to say no to drugs, to choose health over harm, and to build a generation that leads with discipline, creativity, and purpose,” the Speaker stated.
Danladi commended the NDLEA Gombe Command, partners, sponsors, and volunteers for their collaboration and support in the campaign, stressing that the fight against drug abuse requires collective effort.
“The fight against drugs is not the duty of NDLEA alone, but a collective responsibility of all citizens,” he said. “Together, we can make our communities safer, our youths stronger, and our future brighter.”
Programme Officer, Drug-Free and Preventive Healthcare Organisation, Fauziyya Abubakar, said, “We work with people using drugs. We help them access healthcare services, support them with human rights services, and provide other harm reduction services which include HIV testing, drug-related prevention, and management.”
Speaking on the essence of the collaboration, Abubakar added, “Today, we joined Gombe State Youth Parliament to create awareness on prevention. If you haven’t started drugs, please don’t start. We want the community to understand that drug use is not a choice but a health issue.”
Founder and Executive Director of LEO Foundation, Abba Mukhtar, said the activity is expected to impact the community.
“You know we have more youths in our various communities, and drug addiction is gradually becoming a scourge,” Mukhtar added.
Founder, Drug-Free and Health Awareness Initiative, Mohammed Haruna, said, “We want to create awareness on drugs and substance abuse. This is threatening every aspect of our lives and reducing the productivity of our youths. We focus on campaign awareness, rehabilitation support, school engagement, and advocacy policy.”
Coordinator, Youth O’clock, Sani Labaran, said, “Youths prioritise sleep; we need to awaken them. The future of any community lies in the hands of the young people. If we fail to unite, nobody will do it for us.”
Youth Advocate, Sale Katam, lauded the organisers for the activity.
Katam said, “Those who use drugs are our brothers and sisters. By discriminating against them, we are just pushing them towards further substance abuse. Let’s show them compassionate care; let’s see the human in them before anything else.”
Katam continued, urging policymakers, “They should focus on laws that prioritise rehabilitation services. Harm reduction is an evidence-based strategy to stop substance abuse. Discrimination is doing more harm than good,” Katam added.
Permanent Commissioner, Electoral Matters, Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission, Mohammed Hussaini, commended the parliament for organising the hike.
“It’s not about hiking but about creating awareness about drug abuse and substance use. As a Commission that advocates youth participation, we want youths to be responsible, and drugs won’t make you useful,” he added.
Focal Person, Investment, Digital and Creative Enterprise, Gombe State, Saifullahi Waziri, said, “This hike is more than that; it’s our collective effort and energy that intends to tackle the menace from affecting the future of our state and, most importantly, the future of our youths.”
He noted that drug abuse has a linkage with the economy. “It thrives in the vacuum created by unemployment, poverty, and lack of viable economic activities or opportunities. When young people feel a sense of hopelessness, lack purpose, or see no path to a dignified life, they become vulnerable to the false promises of drugs. Individuals struggling with drugs can’t contribute to the economy, leading to loss of opportunities and becoming a drain on families and the state,” he added.
