By Danjuma Katsina

The conference which is the maiden Katsina Dialogue Series, was held on 31st December, 2023, at the Presidential Banquet Hall of the Government  House, Katsina ‘Muhammadu Buhari House’.

The event which had the theme “Menace of Drug Abuse Among Youths”, brought together key stakeholders that include policy makers, traditional and religious leaders and institutions that can directly influence behavioral change with respect to the menace of drug abuse in Katsina State which has been the forefront in the misuse, abuse, and trafficking of illicit drugs.

Among key dignitaries at the occasion was former President, Muhammadu Buhari who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event.

In his speech, the Former President urged policy makers and other key players in governance at all levels to invest in the education and gainful employment of youths in order to curb the increasing rate of drug abuse.

Muhammadu buhari particularly harped on the need for parents, educational institutions, religious groups, the media and other groups that exert influence on youths, to lay emphasis on their education, moral upbringing, and skills acquisition in order to pre-occupy them with activities that will take their minds away from drug abuse.

While also urging law enforcement agencies to intensify the fight against the menace, the former President stressed that the underline causes of drug abuse such as poverty and idleness must be addressed.

 “This is not a challenge one person or group can tackle alone, we all have a role to curb drug abuse. We cannot afford to watch drug abuse dismantle the potential of the youths potential of this country.

 “I, therefore, urged all to unite and act decisively against drug abuse in the state. We must not turn away from this self-inflicted suffering of our youths. We need to confront this issue collectively with determination and resolve.

 “Youths should not allow themselves to indulge in drug abuse, you must believe in yourselves, your abilities, and your future. I know the challenges you face are many but you should be up and doing in addressing them.

We will work together to offer you the support and opportunities needed to resist the menace. Let us stand together for the sake of our youths and the prosperity of our state.

 “Law enforcement agencies must also tighten their belts in this important task of fighting drug trafficking and distribution. Beyond that, we must address underlying causes of drug abuse such as poverty and lack of opportunities.

 “I am committed to supporting Katsina State and I urge everyone to leverage on their respective influence with the necessary resources, policies, and programs needed to fight this challenge which poses a danger to our future. Our youths hold the key to Katsina State’s future,” Muhammadu Buhari noted.

In his remarks, the Chief Host, Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda who was represented by his Deputy, Faruq Jobe, described substance abuse especially among the youths as a catastrophe affecting all spheres of life from health, education, the economy, and psychosocial well-being of the people which also leads to crimes and other social vices.

He emphasized that the State Government would not relent in the fight against the menace of drug abuse by ensuring that youths are engaged productively to become self-reliant.

According to Jobe, the recently established Katsina Community Watch Corps and Katsina State Hisba Board along with the decision to strengthen the authority of the traditional and religious institutions were meant to encourage and strengthen institutions to fight crimes such as drug trafficking and abuse among other vices.

Jobe however stressed the need for more synergy between security agencies and other institutions  of government to address the issue, while advocating the establishment of an operational committee comprising of all security agencies and government departments to mount  a coordinated approach to fight the menace of drug abuse in the state.

The Guest Speaker at the conference and frontline politician, academic and conteibutor to national discourse, Dr. Usman Bugaje, presented a lecture titled “The Drugs Pandemic and the Future of Nigeria: A Discourse on the Diffusion, Depth and Dangers of Drug Addiction in Nigeria and the Possible Ways Out”.

The former member at the House of Representatives observed that 90 percent of Nigeria’s problems are associated with drugs. He also raised an alarm that a substantial number of people holding political offices are on drugs.

According to Bugaje, some politicians make provisions for drugs especially cannabis in their campaign budget.

 “We cannot continue to rely on government and law enforcement institutions as they currently are, with most of them infested with people on drugs on duty and in uniform.

 “I can’t remember any statewide or national problem that has been solved by our States or Federal Government in the last quarter century. Many projects are still work in progress.

 “The message of this paper is that the Nigerian drug problem is the one thread that runs through all its decaying institutions and fuels the continuing conflicts and insecurity in

the country.

 “At the moment, it is the greatest threat to Nigeria’s survival as a country. Therefore,

for Nigeria to survive and thrive, the menace of drug trafficking and consumption must be addressed squarely. It is a national emergency.

 “Unfortunately, those we are waiting for to act are either under the influence of drugs or are benefiting personally from the drug enterprise. So, we can’t wait for them, rather we have to start the fight from its base, i.e., the community.

 “Once the communities rise against drug abuse, the game will change and we will have an opportunity to re-set governance to give the issue the priority it deserves.

 “Katsina Consultative Forum should push the frontiers and make Katsina a model of drug-free communities. This should be able to create further opportunities for salvaging our society from the host of other challenges and allow us to survive and thrive in the competitive environment of the 21st century,” Bugaje stated.

Meanwhile the Chairman of the Katsina State Consultative Forum, Alhaji Aminu Danmusa, expressed delight with the robust discussions at the forum and pledged to go back to the drawing board with other members of the forum and involve other critical stakeholders like state government, civil society organizations, traditional rulers, and religious leaders, as well as community leaders, and come up with an action plan.

 “I am happy with the robust discussion we had in this dialogue, now it remains for us to go back to the drawing board, sit among ourselves, and involve other critical stakeholders like the state government, civil society organizations, traditional and religious leaders, as well as community leaders and come up with an action plan. We assure the participants  at this forum that we will match our words with action” Danmusa said.

The three-hour dialogue was also attended by students from various secondary schools, tertiary institutions and youth groups across the state.

During an interactive/questions and answer session, officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed that a total of 3,140 persons were arrested in connection with drug abuse in the North-West zone from January to December 2022. Of this figure, 3,060 were males while 80 were females, with Katsina State having 1,126 males and 25 females arrested by the agency during  the period.