Secretaries of State Government, North East Forum, has expressed worry over 2018 statistics by United Nations office of Drugs and Narcotics, that placed the region at 13.6 percent drug prevalence rate.
The forum which held a maiden meeting in Gombe, had representatives from Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe States, with heads of security agencies in the region to proffer solutions to the increasing scourge.
Chairman of the Forum, and Secretary to Gombe State Government, Ibrahim Njodi, in his presentation expressed sadness over the figures, stressing that it may have increased, due to the number of years since the survey was conducted.
This was contained in the meeting’s communique made available to The PUNCH on Saturday.
Njodi said, “The statistics are glaring for Nigeria and the region. A United Nations office of Drugs and Narcotics Nigeria Drug Use survey in 2018 revealed that one in four drug users is a woman and one in seven persons aged 15-64 years had used drug other than tobacco and alcohol.
“Highest levels of drug use is among those aged 25-39years;1 in 5 persons who had used drugs is suffering from drug use disorder;
“In the North, the North East has the highest prevalence rate of 13.6 percent (over 3 million people) which is disturbing and we have to note that this was in 2018. It is not in doubt that the figure may have increased significantly.”
Stating further the deliberations of the forum with a view to finding lasting and holistic solution, Njodi said its resolution would be presented to the regions governor’s forum.
The forum said, “The adequacy of our policies to deal with the issue of narcotics and drugs abuse, how the inflow of narcotics and drugs into the North-East can be disrupted, and the roles our traditional institutions are expected to play.”
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