The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called for urgent implementation of the drug abuse report submitted by the Buba Marwa-led presidential committee on the eradication of drug abuse in Nigeria.

The NYCN in a statement made available yesterday by its President, Bello Bala Shagari, said only an urgent implementation of the recommendations by the panel would put an end to the alarming rate of drug abuse among youths. “While we applaud President Buhari for making the fight against drug abuse a priority, we are concerned that if the recommendations made by various stakeholders is not immediately implemented, the situation will worsen. The committee under Buba Marwa and Aisha Buhari has done a wonderful job.”

“It is also commendable that local “slave-like” rehabilitation centers are being abolished across Northern Nigeria, but alternatives to them must be provided immediately.

Construction of new rehabilitation centers must begin and new approaches as in the recommendations in the presidential committee report should immediately be implemented before youths lose their future to the menace of illegal drugs in our society.”