The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, yesterday, attributed parental failure as the reason for the surge in drug abuse in Nigeria.
Speaking during a seminar organised by Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), with the theme: “Stop the Stigmatization of Ex-Drug Users and Human Trafficking,” to mark World Day Against Drug and Human Trafficking, Imohimi said that four of every 10 persons are involved in drug abuse.
He said: “The issue of drug abuse has been a major problem. In fact, I feel we should declare a state of emergency on drug abuse. However, we need to ask ourselves how we got here. Drugs had been on since we were young, but the difference is that we had parents that cared. We had family structures, but now broken down.”
Imohimi also argued that societal values and family influence were gone, leaving many being vulnerable to crime.
His words: “The situation today is that some parents are now afraid of their children. The school used to care about the conduct of students, but now no one cares anymore. Religious leaders should also dedicate time to tell the people evils associated with drug abuse. It is only a sane society that listens to spiritual messages. We will continue to do our own part. I want a safer environment where our children can grow up to contribute their quota to the development of the society.”
The President of Crime Reporter Association of Nigeria (CRAN), Mr. Odita Sunday, during his opening remarks said that the fight against drug abuse should not be left to agencies alone as everyone needed to join in the advocacy.
He said that victims of drug abuse should be shown love and encouragement as they were fighting a battle within themselves.
The CP added: “Our youths are being ravaged by drugs. This is one of the reasons Codeine was recently banned. We cannot leave the fight to agencies alone. We need to join in the advocacy to stop drug abuse. In the advocacy to end drug abuse, stop stigmatization. Once a drug user decides to give up on drugs, show him love and encouragement. The society should let them know there is a better tomorrow. That they were drug users does not mean they are failures.”
Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, a Human Right Activist, who was a guest lecturer, also condemned stigmatization of drug users, stressing that it makes the victim shy away from help.
She said: “When you stigmatize, you are giving the victim room for continuation. Stigmatization has been described as being bad or having a situation to be ashamed of. When you label or stigmatized a person, you make the society develop fear for the person, mistrust, violence, discrimination and so on. The effect it has on the victims is that they fear to come out, delay in seeking necessary help, self-stigmatization and this generates into low self-esteem. Let us develop our lives, community and identity without drugs.”
First Published 2018
