The Asagba of Asaba, Obi Epiphany Azinge, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has inaugurated the Asaba Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation Committee, as a measure to tackle the worrisome incidence of drug abuse in his kingdom, Asaba, Delta capital.
This is because the Delta monarch is believed to have zero-tolerance for drug abuse among his people.
Chairperson of the committee, Obi Nwanyi Ajufoh disclosed this when members of the committee visited the Director-General of the State Bureau for Orientation and Communication, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe in his office in Asaba.
Obi Ajufoh said the goal of the committee was to save countless lives affected by drug abuse in villages and towns even as she expressed the committee’s readiness to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in educating people in rural areas about the dangers of drug abuse.
According to her, a reasonable number of Asaba youths have been struggling with drug addiction, and urgent steps must be taken to address the rising wave of substance abuse in the state.
In his remarks, Dr. Oghenesivbe commended the Delta monarch for inaugurating the committee, adding that drug abuse, especially among youths, was particularly concerning, as it could lead to addiction, mental health problems, and even death.
He pointed out that the consequences of drug abuse were far-reaching, affecting not only the individual but also their families, communities, and the larger society.
Citing drug abuse statistics for Delta State, the Orientation Bureau DG said the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA had reported a surge in drug-related activities in the state, adding that in 2023 alone, about five hundred thousand of the state’s population between 15 and 65 years, were engaged in illicit use of drugs.
