Two suspects are currently being prosecuted at the Federal High Court, Sokoto, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), over alleged unlawful possession of Cocaine, according to an agency official.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the State Commander of the agency, Mr Misbahu Idris, disclosed this in Sokoto on Tuesday.
NAN reports that Idris spoke at a One-Day Sensitisation Meeting with relevant stakeholders organised by the Conflict Mitigation and Management Regional Council and the NDLEA.
The meeting had as its theme: “Prevention and Control of Illicit Drugs for a Better Society in Sokoto State.”
He added that some of the drugs commonly abused include narcotics, stimulants, alcohol, tobacco, depressants/sedatives, cannabis sativa and inhalants, among others.
Idris added: “Our society is associated with a myriad of problems caused by drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
“This has resulted negatively to impact on our ethics and values as an entity.
“The drug problem has led to the increase in crime in the society, armed robbery, kidnapping, assault, rape and stealing, among others.”
Mr Sanusi Baba-Ahmed of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kware, lamented that over 60 per cent of the nearly 400-500 patients recorded weekly at the hospital were drugs-related ailments.
Baba-Ahmed also decried the revolving of patients at the hospital, saying, that some of them were usually brought back by security agents.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, represented by the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar, called for drastic actions to redress the ugly trend.
The Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, represented by Alhaji Usman Arzika, Chairman, House Health Committee, pledged the support of the assembly to make laws to curb the drugs menace.
The Commissioner of Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, announced the immediate formation of a Taskforce on Counterfeit drugs and drugs abuse.
The Chairman of the council, Prof. Isa Maishanu, lamented that the drug problem was a menace eating deep into the fabric of the society.
“It is a global problem that needs to be addressed globally and some evil forces are behind it,” he said.
The State Chairman of the Inter-Faith Mediation Centre, Alhaji Nura Attajiri, said that the meeting was organised to identify key roles expected by each stakeholder in the prevention and control of substance abuse in the state.( NAN)