The Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has said the Initiative Against Addiction and Substance Abuse in Nigeria (IAASAN) will soon build state-of-the-art centres for the rehabilitation of victims of drug addiction.
“These centres would be for the already established cases of victims of addiction to substances and drugs. They are roaming our streets and constituting grave harm to society,” he said.
The Etsu Nupe, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees, IAASAN, made the remarks at opening ceremony of a one day drug awareness conference.
The conference was organised by IAASAN) in collaboration with the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Army Resource Centre, Asokoro, Abuja on Thursday.
The conference had the theme:” Drug and Substance Abuse; The Effect on Mental Health and National Security”.
The Etsu Nupe said the initiative would also create novel wellness/health centres for the elderly.
“This will include security personnel who might have gone through depression and trauma in the course of their service to our great country,” Abubakar said.
The Chief of Army Staff ( COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, represented by Maj.-Gen. N. J. Kange, said the Nigerian Army was working to reverse the ugly trend of drug addiction in the country.
He pledged sustained partnership with the IAASAN and NDLEA to rid Nigeria of drug menace.
Publisher/CEO Blueprint Newspapers, Alhaji Idris Malagi, Kakakin Nupe, said the newspaper and Bida Emirate were in the forefront of the fight against drug abuse in the country.
Malagi, who is also the Secretary-General of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), pledged its unwavering support to IAASAN and NDLEA.
