Comfort Ibrahim
Students drawn from some selected school in Kano Northwest Nigeria, have been sensitized on dangers of indulging in drug abuse, especially during the yuletide season.
The sensitization program was carried out by the Kano State Command of the National Drugs, Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in collaboration with an NGO, Saleboy Foundation at the premises of the Agency with the sole aim of sensitizing the students to stay away from drugs while celebrating Christmas and New year.
In an address of welcome, NDLEA State Commandant, Abubakar Idris Ahmad, pointed out that the Yulitide period comes with a lot of activities and movement, where the students are bound to move around or travel to celebrate the end of year, noting that, “this is the period where the good and bad things take place.
“This is a festive period, a period for celebration, where some people usually miscelebrate because that’s when they think or feel that they bring in substances of abuse as part of what they will take during the celebration.
“Some do it knowingly while there are others who are invited for celebration and the items they will use especially during refreshment are sometimes infused with drugs. So you have to be careful of what you take and where you take what you take. That’s the essence of you been enlightened and educated.
“Some bad guys inject or infuse what they will serve you, so be careful of the food and beverages you take in parties or place of celebration; you have to trust and believe in the sources of items given to you as food”
The Commandant further stressed that, the essence of the gathering was to create awareness especially at this period where schools will close down for break and many of them will be at home largely ideal, hence the importance of staying off drugs.
While urging them to also be watchful and vigilant, especially of drivers who abuse drugs before driving, saying they have a role in identifying such people and speaking out in order to reduce risks of road crashes.
He however tasked them to educate their friends and practicalize what they have learned.
In her own remarks, Executive Director of SALEBOY Foundation, Mrs. Clara Saleboy explained that curing or helping a drug addict is challenging, hence the need for taking a preventive measure which is sensitizing and educating them at a younger age.
She therefore urged them not to be deceived as abstaining from it doesn’t make them weak.
“When you abuse drugs, you harm yourself, family and and the society. Don’t take or taste it. The moment you take it, it has an addictive effect which will make you want to take again and after sometimes, it makes you useless.
“It’s an easy way out of life. We want a generation of Nigeria that will say No to substance abuse, when you don’t abuse drugs, one will go far in life, she pointed out