March 17, (THEWILL) – Chief Suprintendent of Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in charge of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Ku’ulyidam Hassan, has advised communities in Plateau State to always report cases of drug abuse by youths in their areas to the agency, so that they can rise to the occasion timely.
Hassan made the call in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state, during a dialogue programme organised by Pastoral Resolve (PARE), a non-governmental organisation, to address drug/substance abuse among youths.
She said drug abuse is one of the main drivers of crises in the various communities and the state at large, which has caused loss of lives and properties worth billions of Naira over time.
She encouraged the people not to be afraid of calling the attention of the NDLEA to drug abuse issues, as it is not only arrests they make, but that they also enlighten the youths on the dangers of drug abuse, among other interventions, to free the society of drug abuse.
Hassan emphasised that if the issue of drug abuse among youths can be addressed, the cycle of violent conflicts in the state will break and the much needed peace will begin to prevail.
With the theme ‘drug abuse as a driver of conflict’, and participants drawn from respective Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP), among communities in the LGAs, it was the first of its kind for 2022.
The participants consisted mostly of youths who were verifiably into drugs, but have abandoned the addictive behaviour. The youths also shared their experiences of how they used to abuse drugs, and pledged never to go back to drugs.
Meanwhile, the concept note for the programme, “Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP)’ is a five-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Project, implemented by a consortium of five partners in the States of Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, and Plateau.
Mercy Corps leads the CIPP consortium consisting of The Pastoral Resolve (PARE), Interfaith Mediation Center (IMC), Savannah Center for Diplomacy, Democracy, and Development (SCDDD), and Africa Radio and Drama Association (ARDA).
According to the organisers, “CIPP is designed to empower communities to prevent and respond to violence and violent extremism by strengthening key skills and relationships, and to foster an enabling environment for peace through policy advocacy, media outreach, and linkages to development programmes.”
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