The Cross River State government has extended its student reorientation campaign to public secondary schools, warning against the rising cases of drug abuse, social vices, and career confusion among teenagers.

The campaign began with an educational orientation summit held at Government Secondary School, Barracks Road, Calabar, with the theme: “From Distractions to Distinctions.”

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Orientation, Afufu Anthony, said the initiative followed Governor Bassey Otu’s directive to ensure that character formation and moral awareness begin early.

He noted that similar enlightenment programmes had already been conducted in tertiary institutions across the state. Anthony explained that the outreach seeks “to reformat poor orientation and install a better mindset,” stressing that unchecked exposure to peer pressure, drug use, and misguided behavioural influences could derail students from achieving academic excellence. He added that the state is committed to raising students who will become assets to their families, communities, and society.

A representative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Eyo-Effiong Okon, who addressed the students, warned that drug addiction often begins with casual experimentation.

According to him, many young people who struggle with substance dependence “never planned to become addicts but started with ‘just trying it.’” He drew attention to the dangers of cigarettes, alcohol, and a harmful street mixture known as “colos,” which he described as a blend of cannabis, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Okon noted that drug abuse continues to undermine the academic, psychological, and social development of many youths. South-South Coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Michael Iwara, described the summit as timely, noting that unregulated exposure to social media content has contributed to moral decline and poor academic commitment among students.

The organisers said the programme will continue across secondary schools in the Southern Senatorial District before being extended to Central and Northern Cross River, as part of efforts to sustain youth development and social responsibility in the state.