Drug Abuse, Domestic Violence on the Rise in North-West – Speaker

• Speaker Abbas highlighted a 25% rise in drug abuse cases in the North-West over three years

• He emphasized the need for a collaborative strategy to combat drug abuse and domestic violence in the region

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has raised concerns over the increasing cases of drug abuse and domestic violence in the North-West region. He called for urgent action to address these pressing issues.

Speaking at the launch of the Northwest Zonal Sensitisation Against Drug Abuse and Domestic Violence in Kaduna on Monday, Abbas revealed that drug-related cases in the subregion have risen by 25% in the past three years. In Kaduna State alone, drug seizures increased by 28% in 2023.

He also highlighted the alarming prevalence of domestic violence, stating that nearly 35% of women nationwide have experienced some form of abuse.

The situation is worse in the North-West, with reports indicating that up to 40% of women in Kano have faced domestic violence.

Abbas stressed the need for a collaborative strategy involving government agencies, community leaders, and non-governmental organizations to address these concerns.

He emphasized the crucial role of traditional and religious leaders in driving cultural change and fostering a zero-tolerance approach to abuse.

The Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), expressed alarm over the rising number of women involved in substance abuse. He revealed that one in four drug users in Nigeria is female.

“Three million people in the North-West geopolitical zone are affected by drug abuse. This is part of a larger national crisis, with 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15-64 using psychoactive substances,” Marwa stated.

He also disclosed that the NDLEA has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, leading to over 57,792 arrests and the seizure of 9.9 million kilograms of drugs in the last four years.

In response to the crisis, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, called for urgent measures to break the cycle of addiction and crime.

He urged all stakeholders to take decisive action to curb the growing menace of drug abuse and domestic violence in the North-West region.