The Director General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed that 14.3 million Nigerians are victims of drug abuse. She revealed this during the launch of the agency’s youth program, 'Catch Them Young,' held at Government Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
Adeyeye cited research indicating that one in four high-risk drug users has been arrested for drug-related offenses. The program aims to address the growing issue of drug abuse by educating and empowering young people.
She said that the arrest included 73 percent for drug possession, 12 percent for theft, five percent for sex work, four percent for burglary, and two percent for shoplifting.
“Note that this data only shows the number of arrests; if we consider that most crimes are unreported, then we will see that we have a huge problem on our hands,” she said.
Adeyeye, however, noted the negative effects of drug abuse on families, society, and the nation’s socio-economic development.
She explained that the situation caused NAFDAC to initiate a comprehensive, coordinated, and intensive program, designed to reduce the prevalence of drug abuse among secondary school students.