…Says 7-10% of teenage girls in Abeokuta indulge in drug abuse

…Laments drug abuse increase female dropouts in schools

…Says girls involved are venerable to sexual exploitation

The National Association of Seadogs, otherwise known as Pyrates Confraternity, Ash Montana Deck, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has embarked on an awareness walk to educate the public and intensify efforts to combat the growing menace of drug abuse among youths in Ogun State.

The association that took to the streets of Abeokuta, including Jide Jones, Sapon, Omida, Panseke, Oke – ilewo, raised alarm over the 7-10% prevalence of the scourge among adolescent girls and 15-20% of the menace among males in Abeokuta.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the walk yesterday, the Capoon, Mr. Ganiu Omitogun, said that the exercise was part of the group’s activities to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with the theme: “World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses”.

Omitogun, who lamented that drug abuse and Illicit trafficking are part of several vices destroying youth it the society, said that many females that indulged in the use of substances are usually vulnerable to sexual exploitation, coercion, and gender-based violence.

He explained that the stigma surrounding drug use among adolescent girls has forced many of them into silence, driving the issue underground and significantly reducing their access to rehabilitation and support services.

The Capoon noted that the dangers of female drug abuse go far beyond addiction, while lamenting the lack of gender-sensitive rehabilitation centers in the state, saying the absence of such facilities has deprived many affected young women of safe and accessible opportunities for recovery.

He said that the absence of adequate protective structures for girls in high-risk environments such as markets, motor parks, and school communities in Abeokuta has further exposed them to harm, stressing that the situation has also contributed to an increase in school dropout rates among teenage girls.

Omitogun stated that substance abuse among females negatively affects their reproductive health by increasing the likelihood of pregnancy complications, neonatal health problems, and long-term developmental disorders in children, resulting in consequences that can extend across generations.

He said ” In Abeokuta, deep-rooted societal stigma surrounding female drug use forces many young women into silence, pushing the problem underground and significantly limiting access to rehabilitation and support services.”

“This culture of silence, combined with economic vulnerability, peer pressure, and lack of targeted interventions, exacerbates the crisis. Critically, the absence of gender-sensitive rehabilitation centers in Ogun State leaves many affected young women without safe, accessible pathways to recovery.”

“The risks associated with female drug abuse extend beyond addiction itself. Young women who engage in substance use are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation, coercion, and gender-based violence. ”

In high-risk environments such as markets, motor parks, and school communities in Abeokuta, the lack of protective social structures further exposes them to harm. Additionally, drug abuse is strongly linked to increased school dropout rates among teenage girls, effectively disrupting their education, limiting future economic opportunities, and perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.”

“Maternal and reproductive health outcomes are also significantly impacted. Substance abuse among young women increases the risk of pregnancy complications, neonatal health disorders, and long-term developmental challenges for children, thereby creating intergenerational consequences,” he added.