State Governments Urged To Embrace Community-Based Interventions To Combat Drug Abuse

To combat the escalating scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking at the grassroots level, state governments across Nigeria have been strongly encouraged to embrace and institutionalise community-based interventions.

This call to action is consistent with the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) and served as the central theme of a training workshop hosted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum (NGSF) in Abuja on Tuesday.

The workshop, which brought together key stakeholders such as state First Ladies, representatives from the NDLEA, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), served as a platform to provide participants with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to effectively address the complex issue of drug abuse in their respective states.

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was represented by the wife of the Deputy Senate President, Hajiya Laila Jibrin Barau, who delivered a powerful keynote address emphasising the gravity of the situation.

“This training cannot come at a better time than now when statistics and real-life experiences show that drugs have infiltrated every nook and cranny of our communities,” she said. “As a country, we are facing a growing crisis that threatens the very foundation of our society: our children’s health, safety, and future.”

Senator Tinubu praised the NDLEA, led by its Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), for its unwavering efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking. She emphasised the importance of a coordinated, community-led response that includes enforcement, education, family support, and long-term intervention, with a focus on marginalised and vulnerable communities.

The First Lady challenged the First Ladies of each state to set a good example, bear their people’s burdens, and share their pain as they work together to combat drug abuse. She urged them to work with relevant stakeholders, such as the NDLEA, other law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, healthcare providers, educators, and community leaders, to develop feasible solutions.

In his welcome address, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) emphasised the alarming statistics and impact of the drug crisis on Nigeria’s national aspirations. He stated that the NDLEA has spent significant resources to combat the drug problem, with significant results over the last four years.

These include arresting 62,595 drug suspects, seizing 10,317,137.55 kilogrammes of various drugs, convicting 11,628 offenders, and destroying 1,330.56553 hectares of cannabis farms.

Marwa emphasised the NDLEA’s balanced approach, which includes equal emphasis on drug demand reduction. He reported that between January 2021 and March 2025, 24,375 drug users received counselling and treatment at NDLEA facilities, and 10,501 drug sensitisation programs were conducted nationwide as part of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy campaign, reaching over 3.8 million people.

The NDLEA Chairman urged stakeholders to implement immediate, comprehensive, and inclusive strategies to combat the drug epidemic, emphasising the importance of approaching the problem from a community-centred perspective.

He advocated for the strengthening and revitalisation of State Drug Control Committees (SDCCs) as a powerful platform for fostering cross-sector collaboration in drug demand reduction.

Cheikh Toure, the UNODC Country Representative, echoed the sentiment, emphasising that the solution to the drug crisis lies in neighbourhoods, schools, and homes.

He urged state governments to prioritise prevention and treatment budgets, form state-specific drug control task forces, use local government funds to build community drop-in centres and safe counselling spaces and decentralise treatment access.

Dr. Daniel Amankwaah, Head of the ECOWAS Drug Prevention and Control Division, reiterated the need for state governments to invest in prevention and treatment efforts at both the state and community levels.

During the workshop’s technical session, experts such as Dr. Martins Agwogie, Prof. Akintunde Oyedokun, Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, Dr. Kunle Adeshina, Dr. Abubakar Salami, and Dr. Ngozi Madubuike provided valuable insights into evidence-based prevention, early intervention, and holistic treatment approaches.

The workshop concluded with the state First Ladies renewing their commitment to fighting drug abuse in their respective states, working closely with the NDLEA, UNODC, ECOWAS, and other relevant stakeholders.

The emphasis on community-based interventions indicates a shift towards a more localised and tailored approach to addressing the drug crisis, and safeguarding Nigerian children’s futures.