Nigerian schoolchildren have been advised to stay away from drugs and cultism to have a bright future.
The advice was given on Wednesday in Ikeja at the 2024 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking organised by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, CRAN.
Speaking of the theme of the day, ‘The Evidence is Clear, Invest in Prevention’, Commander Mallum Musa in charge of media and advocacy, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Lagos Command, urged the children who were invited to the event to stay away from drugs, be good ambassadors and not to allow peer pressure to change them.
He said Illicit drugs are the fuel to perpetrate crimes, adding that it will destroy their ambition.
The spokesman of the state Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin admonished the school children not to experiment with drugs, adding that “the moment you take drugs, you are no longer in control of your faculty.”
Hundeyin warned them against committing crimes and getting involved in drug abuse and cultism.
He said those who have committed such crimes at a young age would be tried at juvenile courts and sent to juvenile homes.
The Chief Executive Officer, Jesus Care Reformation Centre for Drug Abuse and Misuse, Daniel Osita Collins called on all Nigerians to join hands to rescue the young generation by reporting any crime around us to the police.
“All must be done to discourage those who are promoting drugs and chemical substances with their music, movies and their clubs”, he added.
He also expressed worry that children are taking after the musicians as their role models.
In his welcome address, the President of CRAN, Lekan Olabulo advised the NDLEA and other security agencies to engage in public sensitization in schools and communities as a way of fighting the menace of drug abuse in Nigeria.
According to him, “As members of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, we have taken it as our modest support and contribution to the society to fight crimes through our sensitization of students and other members of the public on drug abuse.”
