As 2019 general election approaches, northern youth under the auspices of the Northern Youth Assembly of Nigeria (NYAN) yesterday launched a campaign against violence and drug abuse in Bauchi state.
Speaking during the occasion, the national speaker of the group, Ukasha Hamza Rahama explained that the campaign became imperative because some politicians might drug some youths and use them to foment violence to achieve political missions.
He opined that although there were agitations for youth’s active participation in politics, they should not be little themselves to become political thugs of candidates who will later dump them after election.
Rahama assured that the assembly would partner with relevant stakeholders in the fight to eradicate drugs in the society.
The speaker advocated the establishment of skill acquisition centres for youths to address youth restiveness that make them indulge in drug addiction. He said there is the need for the establishment of rehabilitation centres for addicts as part of measures to curb the
menace.
Also speaking, the Medical Director of PAHLYCON Hospital, Bauchi, Dr. Hassan Mohammed Garba who is also the chairman of Guild of Medical Directors of private hospitals in Bauchi state promised to support the assembly to find lasting solution to the menace in the society.
In his remarks, the representative of the Bauchi state Commandant of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Muhammed Bawa attributed proliferation of illegal drugs in the society to unauthorized sale of cold syrups at chemists.
According to him, some signs of drugs abuse among the youths and children include changes in mode of dress, friends, unnecessary spray of scent in their rooms and sucking Tom-Tom and mint all the time to erase odour of the drugs from their rooms and mouth. He advised parents to monitor such strange behaviors among their wards.
