About 14.3 million Nigerians abuse drugs – NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, says no fewer than 14.3 million Nigerians are victims of drug abuse.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated this at the inaugural ceremony of the agency’s youth programme, tagged, ‘’Catch Them Young,’’ held at the Government Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

She said research findings showed that one out of every four high-risk drug users had been arrested for drug-related offences.

According to her, the arrests included 73 per cent for drug possession, 12 per cent for theft, five per cent for sex work, four per cent for burglary, and two per cent for shop lifting.

‘’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 said.

Adeyeye, however, noted the negative effects of drug abuse on families, society, and the nation’s socio-economic development.

She pointed out that the situation caused NAFDAC to initiate a comprehensive, coordinated, and intensive programme, designed to reduce the prevalence of drug abuse among secondary school students.