Drug
By Bukola Adetoye
Abeokuta, June 20, 2024 ( NAN) The Useful Youth Vision Concepts (UYVC), an NGO, has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), on its resilience towards rehabilitating illicit drug users in the country.
The Founder, Mrs Adetokunbo Shonibare-Ayantunji made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abeokuta.
Shonibare-Ayantunji said that the estimated global rise in the use of illicit drug in the next six years should be a huge concern to everyone.
She quoted the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, as saying that illicit drug intake would witness about 40 per cent rise globally.
“The projections also indicated a significant rise in drug intake in Africa, and particularly in Nigeria, by 2030,” she said.
The UYVC founder, said that in spite of rise in drug intake, NDLEA had remained focused and committed to the campaign against drug abuse
She said that the agency had made remarkable impact in the rehabilitation of illicit drugs users, saying, “this involves counseling and treatment”
“Only recently the NLEA published that between January 2021 and March 2024, it counselled and treated no fewer than 32,402 drug users.
“The agency also secured about 9,034 convictions with no fewer than 12,000 other cases ongoing in different courts, this is a great feat.
“We should not leave these remarkable achievements to go without being marked out and appreciated. You have indeed shown true commitment to your duty” she said.
Shonibare-Ayantunji, said that there was need to address the root causes of the rise drug abuse and addiction in the interest of a saner and more productive society.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
OBA/DE/AZU
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Edited by Dorcas Jonah and Azubuike Okeh
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