The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has accused high profile Nigerians of drug abuse, adding that stakeholders in the country must kick against it viral spread.
The Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, Directorate of Operations and Investigation, NDLEA, Mrs. Ibinabo Archie-Abia on Tuesday, led this out during in an interview on Arise TV Morning Show.
She said: “We go to the workplace, we organise seminars and workshops, we take it to their companies, and the factories because for most persons that abuse these drugs, people think they are the low class ones or those people you see on the road, it’s not true.
“We have high profile persons abusing drugs, managing directors, VIPs or their children into drugs. So these things translate to the work places.
“For the VIPs, they have the money to do the drugs, we are also talking to them. They can come out of it if they have the will because it’s doing them no good, rather it’s destroying their persons. We have so many of them.”
Ibinabo revealed that drug abuse menace has become epidemic in Nigeria, adding that it is now among children of primary schools.
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She added: “The drug problem is now very highly worrisome. I want to see it now as an epidemic in Nigeria. Nigerians ought to know that primary school pupils are also in drugs now, girls are involved in drugs, as young as age nine they go into drugs. We have to be careful not to think it’s only in the secondary schools.
“We are not just talking to the youths, we are talking to the adults. Please be careful, save our nation.
“It’s a big issue, it’s challenging, it’s worrisome, in fact, it’s a ticking timed bomb,” she said, adding that “even pregnant women are into it and they don’t get help. Because of the stigma, the women hide away, they don’t do it in public, but they are hooked on drugs.”
