… says abuse is a menace to society
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has said Nigeria must punish drug pushers to have a better society, saying the abuse is a menace to society.
“We must punish those who profit from drugs. We must also treat those who have become trapped by them. The dealer needs the law. The dependent person needs care,” he said, adding that, “The government is present. The law is active. The public must also participate.”
Speaker Abbas stated this on Saturday at the close of a three-day sensitisation programme against drug abuse and domestic violence held in Kaduna. The programme, which is part of the Speaker’s constituency outreach, was organised in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
He said, “Parents must watch for sudden changes in conduct. Schools must provide counseling and report warning signs. Pharmacists and medicine vendors must reject the unlawful sale of controlled substances.
“Traditional and religious leaders must reject silence around addiction and abuse. Neighbours must report violence. Market and transport unions must report suspicious movement of drugs. Young people must reject pressure and seek help when needed.
“Victims should seek safety, obtain medical care, preserve evidence, and report abuse. Communities must protect them, not punish them with blame or shame.”
Speaker Abbas recalled the last edition of the programme in February 2025, which heralded a four-month campaign across the North-West. “We promised to take the message beyond conference halls. We promised to engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, teachers, parents, young people, and community organisations,” he said.
He noted that Saturday’s edition of the programme showed that “we have kept that promise.”
The Speaker said NOA has taken the campaign into Kaduna’s streets and communities, while its officers are engaging market leaders, transport workers, youth groups, and traditional institutions “because prevention begins with proper information.”
While commending the Director General of NOA, Lanre Issa Onilu, and his team, Speaker Abbas equally appreciated the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and the state agencies.
He said, “Drugs can impair judgement, increase aggression, and deepen poverty. But drugs never excuse violence. Every person remains responsible for his or her actions. Domestic violence is not discipline or culture. It is abuse. It harms the victim, frightens children, and weakens the community.
“The damage caused by drugs does not stop at the family door. It spreads into our streets, schools, markets, and security system. Drug trafficking gives criminal networks money. The same hidden routes can carry drugs, illegal weapons, criminal funds, and violent offenders. Drugs do not explain every crime, but they are part of Nigeria’s wider security challenge.”
The Speaker stated that “every shipment stopped can deny criminals money for weapons and recruitment,” stressing that “every person rescued from addiction is one less person exposed to violent groups.”
Speaker Abbas explained further that drug control is part of the fight against banditry and kidnapping in the North-West. “Security forces may clear the camps. Communities must help cut the supply lines,” he said, adding that, “Enforcement stops the shipment. Education reduces the demand. Treatment restores the individual. Community vigilance protects the neighbourhood.”
Speaker Abbas commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for retaining Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd.) as Director-General of the NDLEA and supporting enforcement, international cooperation, public education and treatment, including a new 50-bed rehabilitation centre in Maiduguri.
He said, “The National Assembly has consistently played its part. In 2024, the House called for a preventive drug testing programme in secondary schools and directed NOA and NDLEA to expand student awareness.
“The House also moved against the indiscriminate sale of prescription medicines. We called for illegal outlets to close and for stronger joint enforcement by the responsible agencies.
“We have considered bills to strengthen the NDLEA Act. In 2025, the House called for faster investigation and prosecution of femicide, homicide, and related violence. We will continue to fund enforcement and treatment, close gaps in the law, and demand results through oversight.”