The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, has appealed to celebrities and influencers to use their various platforms to educate the public, particularly youth, about the dangers of drug abuse.
The agency made an appeal at a conference/workshop held in Lagos last Friday, July 15, 2022 to commemorate the United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Trafficking 2022, with the theme: “Addressing drug challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crises”.
In partnership with HealthGarde, the NDLEA addressed the challenges of substance abuse and how celebrities could help through public awareness and education.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), represented by Zone Commander, H Command, Deputy Commander General, Narcotics Mr. Segun Oke, stressed the importance of drug freedom awareness and the importance of educating the public about the dangers of drug abuse.
He said, “One of the strategies of NDLEA’s new management is to use the War on Drugs to increase public awareness of drug abuse.”
Oke therefore appealed to influencers to pay attention to the content they show the public, as there is no doubt that the entertainment industry influences the public.
Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Gbenga Stephen, deputizing for Lagos State Police Commissioner Abiodun Alabi, said the challenges of drug abuse in society could not be overstated.
He therefore called on the entertainment industry and church leaders to join the NDLEA in raising public awareness about drug abuse and its negative consequences.
Similarly, the national coordinator of the NDLEA Celebrity Drug Free Club, a non-governmental and non-partisan advocacy organization, Mr. Wilson Igodalo lamented that Nigeria remains a major transit country in the drug trade and cannabis remains the most abused drug in the country, saying that much needs to be done to contain the threat
Also comedian Gbenga Adeyinka, who pointed out that the entertainment industry has a lot to do in terms of advocacy, especially among youth, said: “NDLEA should arrest, prosecute and imprison celebrities who abuse drugs, especially on social media, because these are the areas where bad behavior is driven.”
Deputy Commander, Drug Demand Reduction, NDLEA State Command, Eziaghighala Chinyerem said: “Drug abuse and illicit trafficking is a global threat that can be classified as a pandemic, particularly in Nigeria. The effect extends across all sectors and classes of people in society. It affects rich and poor, young and old, educated and illiterate.”
HealthGarde CEO, Nneka Nwarueze, also spoke about the importance of maintaining the best quality of life with natural supplements.
She emphasized the importance of quality drug use and advised the public to take care of their general well-being by using drugs made from 100 percent natural products.
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