Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has said that effective control of drug abuse would be a huge step towards ending kidnapping, banditry and other insecurity challenges facing the country.
Ogundoyin, who spoke at a symposium organised by the Oyo State government to mark the 2021 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, decried the rate of drug abuse among the youth, describing it as a major public concern.
“Imagine what drug abuse has cost many families. I must confess that gang wars such as we continue to experience in our society, cultism in higher institutions, banditry, kidnapping, armed robberies, terrorism, internet fraud and other organised crimes are on the increase because of the rise in abuse and other dangerous stimulants among Nigerians.
“A lot of crimes committed by the youth and even older suspects which are either under investigation by our police or before the courts were committed under some influence of drug.
“Let me cite the recently arrested 21-year-old student who is now a suspect in the police custody over the murder of a CEO in Lagos. She did not only confess to the crime, she also affirmed that the incident happened after she and the victim had taken some dangerous substances.
“I have heard a whole lot of these substances; most of these drugs come with funny names like skunks, skushi, arizona, skales and so on. Other latest substances taken by the youth include Lipton soaked in regal gin, dry pawpaw leaves, Hypo in Lacasera drink, Tom Tom in Lacasera drink,10 days urine, dry plantain leaves, burnt tyres and methylated spirit in Coke and the list seems endless.
“Unfortunately, females are not left out in this menace. Thus, implementation of more punitive measures to discourage this habit may be necessary at this stage, while more intervention support and rehabilitation programmes must be put in place for repentant abusers. It must be a continuous and sustained campaign and advocacy programmes in combating the scourge,” the speaker said.
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