The Kwara State Government has promised to partner the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency for the formation of the Drug Free Club in Secondary Schools across the state.
The idea is to make the pupils aware of the evil effects of drug abuse in the society.
According to The PUNCH, this was disclosed by the Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Drug Abuse, Prevention and Control, Mukail Aileru at a programme organised for students of Government Secondary School, Ilorin on Saturday said that government will assist in every effort to stamp out drug abuse in schools.
The programme with the theme: “The Nigerian youths: Prospects of a drug free society” was organised by the Government Secondary School Old Boys Association, ‘82 set.
Mukail who was represented at the event by Silas Adeoye advised the students to abstain from drug abuse which he described as the mother of all vices such as corruption, kidnapping, robbery among others in the society.
“Teachers should organise Drug Free Clubs in Schools in the state and the Kwara State Government will assist and support in any effort to stamp out drug abuse in schools in the state,” he said.
Speaking at the programme, Commander of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency in the state, Commander Ibrahim Mohammed lamented that consumption of illicit drugs was rampant in the state.
Mohammed who was represented by Ajanaku Babaoye, the Assistant Commander of NDLEA disclosed that Kwara State was taking the lead in drug and substance abuse eradication among the North-central states.
The agency revealed that “Kwara State has 13 per cent, while Nasarawa and Benue states trudged behind with 11.8 and 11.6 per cent respectively, adding that Plateau, Niger and Kogi states have 11, 10 and nine per cent, while the Federal Capital Territory has 9.5 per cent.”
He added that the statistics was alarming, stressing that “it is a pity for us. We are not leading in education. As things are, if we don’t find solution to it, it might go up.”
In his contribution, the state Director, National Orientation Agency, Segun Adeyemi, who was represented by Solomon Akande noted that “peer group influence is one of the major catalysts for drug abuse.”
He pointed out that “substance and drug taking is destiny killer and ultimate termination of life,” even as he maintained that, “the habit will not make you to achieve your life ambition.”
