House of Representatives has launched an investigation into Nigeria’s worsening drug abuse crisis as part of efforts to halt the growing menace threatening public health and national security.
Speaking during a public hearing, the Chairman of the house committee on Drugs, Trafficking, Alcohol and Tobacco Mr Oluwatimehin Adelgbe, said the crusade aimed at uncovering the systemic failures and hold key actors accountable.
Mr Oluwatimehin Adelegbe, said the House inaugurated the committee to expose institutional weaknesses and recommend strong corrective measures capable of reversing the disturbing trend for the safety of lives of million Nigerians especially the youth.
“Today, we gather under the mandate of the Nigerian people and under the solemn weight of a national emergency that threatens the soul of our country,” he said.
He decried the unchecked influx of substandard pharmaceuticals, fake spirits, and unregistered products into Nigerian markets, blaming weak enforcement at ports, airports, and land borders, which he said are routinely exploited by trafficking syndicates.
In a memorandum, the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) expressed deep concerns over the scale of drug use in Nigeria, describing the situation as far above the global average.
According to the memorandum findings from a Nigeria Drug Use Survey 2018, in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the European Union, showed that 14.4 per cent of Nigerians aged 15 to 64 years use drugs.
The survey further revealed that cannabis was identified as the most commonly used drug, with an estimated 10.6 million users, followed by about seven million users of pharmaceutical opioids, including tramadol and codeine-based cough syrups.
Also in a submission, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reiterated its unwavering commitment to protecting Nigeria from the threats posed by the illicit drugs and substance abuse.
COV/TSIBIRI
