Rev. Mbadugha Celebrates Birthday, Organizes Enlightenment Campaign To Keep Youths Away From Drug/ Sexual Abuse

Peterclaver Egbochue

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has raised the alarm that about 14.3 million Nigerians are estimated to be drug addicts.

Speaking at an enlightenment campaign on the theme, “Drug Abuse and its Effects on The Youths,” organized by Rev. Obinna Ropheka  Mbadugha as part of the activities to mark his birthday recently at the Ketu Police Station, Chief Superintendent of Narcotics, Drug Demand Reduction Unit, NDLEA, Lagos State, Dick Mulikat Adunni, disclosed that youth involvement in drugs has taken a frightening dimension, adding that today ingenuity has been introduced into the drug abuse scene with complex mixtures, experimentations, and new discoveries.

Adunni who represented the commander lamented that this has resulted in the abuse of the unconventional substances which are not under any international control and that drug users now include young people including males and females.

She expressed concern that this development is therefore destroying the lives of people.

On the consequences of drug abuse, she listed some of the signs including; physical deterioration, memory lapses, short attention span, difficulty in concentration, slurred or incoherent speech, unhealthy appearance, indifference to hygiene, blood-short eyes, and dilated pupils.

Others are; damage to the Central Nervous System (CNS) and other organs (brain, heart, liver, lung etc), impaired judgment and memory, hypertension, excessive heartbeat, chronic bleeding, and damage to the immune system.

In a chat with our correspondent, she disclosed that people between the ages of 15-65 are mostly involved.

According to her, “NDLEA will not come and arrest somebody carrying a keg of fuel. Drug users now include females. Before now, when you talk about drug abuse, attention is on the male child but it is no longer like that. Females are getting into drug abuse.

“Cannabis is the only drug cultivated in Nigeria and that explains why the rate of consumption is very high. NDLEA is doing a lot of work, we carry out raids, and we go to farms, but I can still tell you that people still go into the interior villages to cultivate cannabis. Among four drug users in Nigeria, there is a female.

“NDLEA alone cannot fight the drug war, we all have to come together, We have non-governmental organizations that registered with us and you know, they are closer to the people, they hear the language of the people. So, with them working hand in hand with us, I think we are making headway. We have other security agencies and other stakeholders who are working with us to fight this war and I know that before long, we will achieve the desired goal that is why we want everybody to be involved in this war including the farmers, the sellers, and those who patronize them.

“Let me talk about the farmers that cultivate cannabis, we go as far as into the interior villages to destroy their farms and then we bring something like crop substitution, we educate them, we enlighten them that it is not until you grow cannabis that you can make money, you can grow cash crop, you can grow fruit crop and you will still make your money, yet they still go back.

“It is not about the punishment but the help you render to them. Our people actually raid bad spots where people are abusing drugs and bring them to our office and we counsel them.

“But while some are quitting, others are getting into drugs, so it’s not a day’s job. It’s a whole lot of work. But I know that soon, Nigeria will be a drug-free society, especially with the launch of the war against drug abuse that was launched on the 26^th June 2021 in commemoration of the United Nations Day against drug abuse.”

On her part, Barr. (Mrs.) Akinremi Olaoluwa, of the Child Protection Network who spoke about the prevalence of sexual abuse and its consequences, highlighted the challenges in prosecuting offenders and helping victims to get justice.

She described sexual abuse as the application of force or coercion against someone’s consent to have sex with him or her, adding that it violates a person’s trust.

She stated that sexual assault is never the fault of the victim and that people should understand that silence does not always mean consent.

Mrs. Olaoluwa emphasized that sexual assault would not end until men get involved in the solution.

Insp. Elizabeth Oshukonu of the Family Support Unit also spoke about child abuse while DSP Philomena spoke on domestic violence.

The celebrant and host of the event Rev. Mbadugha told our correspondent that the aim of the enlightenment campaign was to keep the youths out of the menace of drug abuse, crime, and criminality.

He disclosed that he was inspired because of the rate of moral decadence in the society today, which has taken hold on the youths especially.

According to him, “The youths are wasting away and we want to stem the tide. We want to do something different this time and not the usual way I had celebrated my birthday in the past.

“I asked myself, how can we make a positive impact in our society? It’s like a call from above. This is the first time I’m celebrating my birthday in this form but not the first time I’m running a programme like this.

“I have a foundation that takes care of children and we have some students that we are raising. The foundation has been able to raise children from primary to secondary and then make them computer literate.

“I took a walk around here and I saw how children are wasting, though on my own, I try to see how I can help them but we want to do it on a larger scale and that is why we organized a programme like this to see how we can get support from people, those who have the heart of God to support.

“I want you to understand something, this is our country and we do not have another country, and the youth, the children you are talking about are the future of tomorrow and the earlier we understand that, the better for us.

“Politicians are taking their children abroad to study as if they will remain there forever. So, if we do not do anything tangible now, we will pay dearly for it.

“About funding, prayer comes first. In this place, we work by faith. We do not have funds anywhere but anytime we have a programme, God shows up. I believe in God, I believe in the supernatural provision of the almighty God.”

The programme had in attendance some school children from Ikosi Junior High School, ketu, and Ayedere Ajibola Junior High School, Ketu respectively.

Some dignitaries at the event include the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Lagos state chapter, Chief Sunday Ossai, and many others.

The highlight of the occasion was the cutting of the birthday cake by the celebrant flanked by family and friends.