By Ahmad Umar,
Gombe (Nigeria) – A monarch in Yobe State northeast of the country has expressed concern over the increasing wave of drug abuse among youth, including married women in his domain
The Mai of Tikau , Mohammad Abubakar Ibn Grema was speaking with Journalists in his Palace at Sabon Garin Nangere at the weekend.
The Monarch lamented that a lot of the youths and married Women were involved in the consumption of illicit substances like Tramadol, codeine, marijuana and other harmful substances that influence them.
He suggested that those affected ought to be treated, rehabilitated and offered jobs with the social works department of the state while a sensitisation of youths be commenced.
Ibn Grema described the situation as unfortunate and wondered how it became so rampant among his subjects. “To be candid drug addiction has become one of the issue of concern and a major problem within the community”.
He observed that “It has gone to the extent now that if you go to the local markets in the rural areas you find people selling it openly without any fear of law and order. This has not stopped here as even the married women are now into drug abuse, youths, old men and women you see them taking it rampantly. I think only prayers will get us out of this mess”.
The traditional ruler who commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said “Even though they’re faced with manpower challenges, they are not many enough to cover all the places. I am also on the opinion that there should be quick dispensation of cases before the Court”.
“In Tikau Emirate, we are trying to form an independent drug fighting Society to check mate drug activities within my community”.
The traditional ruler said that the local government Chairman has been briefed on the development and they summoned all their District Heads, Village Heads and Ward Heads and directed them to go to their respective areas and form societies that will be checking the activities of drug peddlers in their environment.
“We informed the NDLEA officials in our midst that we want to come up with a new approach but we need their own support, so that it will enable us sample some youth to be monitoring the activities of the drug peddlers that bring the substance to the area and sell”.