By Maria Famakinwa

The wife of Ondo State Governor, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has condemned the alarming rate  of hard substances consumption among Nigerian youths, and called for concerted efforts to curb the menace.

Mrs Akeredolu noted that a lot needed to be done beyond sensitisation to rescue the teeming youths from self-destruction.

She said this while playing host to officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in her office at the Government House Ground, Alagbaka, Akure, the State capital.

According to her, idleness and joblessness were some of the major causes of the increased rate of drugs addiction among the youths, noting that the level of graduates unemployment in Nigeria called for concern.

The First Lady, emphasised the need to make the young minds productive and  make them occupied mentally and physically.

She frowned at the  approach of subjecting drug addicts to physical torture, citing Imo State Nkpumiri’s victims as an example

Corroborating the stance of the NDLEA about constant sensitisation of the youths about the dangers inherent in drugs abuse, Mrs Akeredolu extended a hand of partnership to NDLEA.

She promised to include it in BEMORE Empowered Initiative, through which participating girls would be enlightened on the intake of hard substances.

She also identified mothers as  stakeholders in the fight against drug and hard substances usage .

Speaking earlier, the State Commandant of NDLEA, Mr. Raji Mumini Kayode said  directives had been given to all State Commands by NDLEA’s Chairman/CEO to partner wives of Governors in the fight against drug abuse, and keep them abreast of  activities that are geared towards reducing drug abuse.

He hinted that drug abuse and illicit trafficking had gone beyond boundaries and no more limited to touts, but had entered every segment of the society, destroying the lives of the victims.

According to him, young minds of both genders were into drugs, noting that NDLEA had discovered so many edible mixtures improvised by the youths, which parents were oblivious .

Informing the First Lady about the alarming mental disorder cases recorded at the State’s Psychiatric hospital, which the attention of NDLEA was drawn to, the Commandant disclosed that almost 80 percent of such cases had been attributed to drug abuse.

He said: “That is why we felt that, the  going by your antecedents and  roles in developmental and charity activities, would be a veritable ally in this War Against Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking” he said.

The First Lady,  was, thereafter, decorated as WADA Ambassador.