NGO rehabilitates drug addicts in Northeast, Plateau

The Center for Peace Advancement in Nigeria (CEPAN) has rehabilitated several youths in the Northeast and Plateau State who were addicted to drugs and have now become peace ambassadors.

Executive Director of the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to drug issues in Nigeria, Reverend Samuel Goro, disclosed this at a two-day youth seminar in Jos.

Goro revealed some of the youth have denounced, cultism, prostitution, armed robbery and taking of hard substances.

“We started transforming and rehabilitation of youths in 2013. So far, we have been able to transform and rehabilitate 18 drug addicts, five cultists, two female robbery gang members, who were also prostitutes. One of the ladies is a single mother, who was sent parking by her parents.

“We also convinced 14 members of a deadly Sarasuka killer group, who denounced their evil acts and have become peace ambassadors in their respective communities. We also rehabilitated a renounced rapist who specialized in raping toddlers,” he stated.

Goro also explained why they do not expose the identity of the repented persons, adding: “To avoid stigmatisation, we do not review their identity. But I can assure you that this youth has totally changed their ways and are now good citizens and ambassadors of peace.

“It might also interest you to note that some of them have vocational skills, and they have been reunited with their families and are contributing positively to nation building.”

The event was organised and supported by the Federal Republic of Germany Foreign Office and Conciliation Resource, working together for peace.

No fewer than 50 youths are participating in the ongoing programme in Borno, Yobe and Plateau states.

Goro noted that the increasing cases of crime among youth, particularly youth restiveness was due to high rate of drunkenness.

Speaking in separate interviews, resource persons at the programme-Janet Mohammed and Charles Dickson, peace advocates said if youth restiveness was not properly checked and addressed, violent conflicts would remain unabated in most parts of the country.

Dickson tasked government to take charge of issues of addressing youth restiveness from peace actors, saying this will assist a great deal in curbing civil unrest.