The Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Abinye Pepple, has declared a renewed campaign against hard drug and alcohol abuse, warning that substance abuse poses a serious threat to the health, safety and future of young people.
Pepple gave the warning while flagging off a Hard Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Campaign organised by the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC) under the leadership of its Chairman, Adawari Jumbo, in conjunction with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The campaign is designed to sensitise residents, particularly youths, to the dangers of substance abuse while promoting prevention, responsible choices and early intervention across Bonny Local Government Area.
A major highlight of the initiative was the Chairman’s announcement that his administration plans to establish a rehabilitation centre to support victims of drug and alcohol abuse in their recovery and reintegration into society.
Pepple stressed that tackling drug abuse requires a collective response involving government, traditional institutions, families, schools, community organisations, security agencies and other stakeholders.
He commended BIRC for initiating the campaign, describing it as an important intervention capable of contributing to the wellbeing, security and sustainable development of Bonny.
Nigeria’s Drug Crisis
The Bonny campaign comes against the backdrop of a significant substance-use challenge in Nigeria.
The 2018 National Drug Use Survey, conducted by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), estimated that 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15–64 — about 14.4 per cent of the population in that age bracket — had used psychoactive drugs, excluding alcohol and tobacco, in the preceding year.
Cannabis accounted for the largest share, with an estimated 10.6 million past-year users, while opioids were estimated at 4.6 million and cough syrups at 2.4 million.
More recent figures from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) further illustrate the scale of the problem. The agency said 77,859 drug offenders were arrested over a five-year period, with more than 60% being young people. It also reported that 48,836 drug users received counselling and treatment at NDLEA facilities during the period.
In 2024 alone, NDLEA reported 14,480 arrests, 2,867 convictions and the seizure of 2.4 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs between January and October.
The agency also said it counselled and rehabilitated 6,655 drug users and conducted more than 3,000 awareness campaigns reaching over 1.3 million people.
The health and social consequences are equally significant. The World Health Organization says psychoactive drug use can lead to drug-use disorders, impairment in personal, family, educational and occupational functioning, lost productivity, premature mortality and increased healthcare and social costs. Globally, about 600,000 deaths annually are attributable to drug use.
WHO also estimates that alcohol consumption was responsible for 2.6 million deaths in 2019, while highlighting its links to injuries, violence and numerous chronic health conditions.
Road Show, Door-to-Door Sensitisation
As part of the Bonny initiative, participants embarked on a road show and door-to-door sensitisation exercise across communities in the local government area, taking the anti-drug message directly to residents.
The campaign is expected to focus particularly on young people, who remain vulnerable to experimentation, dependency and the wider social consequences associated with substance abuse.
The BIRC initiative therefore seeks not only to warn against drug and alcohol abuse but also to promote healthier choices and strengthen community-based prevention and support systems.
With the proposed rehabilitation centre, the Bonny Local Government administration is also signalling an approach that combines prevention, public awareness, treatment and reintegration, rather than relying solely on punitive measures.
The organisers urged residents, parents, community leaders and youths to take ownership of the campaign and work collectively to protect Bonny’s younger generation from the consequences of substance abuse.
