The Kaduna State Bureau for Substance Abuse, Prevention and Treatment (KADBUSA), says ten percent of residents of the state are engaged in one form of drug abuse or the other.
It’s Director General, Dr. Joseph Maigari, made the disclosure on Thursday when he led other management staff of the bureau to take the campaign against drug abuse to the palace of the Agwatyap in Atak-Njei, Zango Kataf Local Government Area of the State.
Dr. Maigari who explained that the percentage followed a recent survey carried out by the Bureau in 2020, also said the survey showed a prevalence rate of 14.4 percent in Nigeria.
He said the state government is concerned about the high rate of drug addiction and consumption hence, adopting an aggressive sensitization campaign on the dangers of drug abuse and consumption, especially at the grassroot level.
The KADBUSA DG who commended the Atyap Chiefdom for the measures put in place towards curtailing the use and consumption of hard drugs in the area, pledged to collaborate with the Chiefdom through the various committees setup at the District, ward and village levels in taking the sensitization to the grassroot.
Dr. Maigari also announced the state government’s plan to rehabilitate and establish new rehabilitation centers across the three senatorial zones of the State, two in each of the zones, with the aim of managing drug related issues to achieve success.
Responding, the Agwatyap, Dominic Gambo Yahaya, said already the Traditional Council has succeeded in reducing the sales and consumption of illicit drugs within the Chiefdom, having met and warned those selling the drugs to desist selling or hawking the drugs or face the full wrath of the law.
He commended the state Government for establishing the Bureau for Substance Abuse, Prevention and Treatment, considering the dangers the menace has posed to the society.
The team after addressing District, Ward and Village Heads in Atyap Chiefdom, also visited the Zango Market were they sensitized the people on the need to join hands with government to fight the scourge.
