Nigeria has a high rate and prevalence of drug addicts —NAFDAC

Abiodun OBA |

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control says it was shocking that Nigeria was leading even beyond the international coverage of drug abuse globally.

The agency warns that Nigeria has a high rate and prevalence of drug addicts across the country.

The Director, Public Affairs, NAFDAC, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, said this on Saturday while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin

According to him, high level of drug abuse is responsible for the spate of kidnapping, dangerous driving, terrorism and other ills plaguing the country.

The agency warns that Nigeria has a high rate and prevalence of drug addicts across the country.

The Director said the agency has an average conservative estimate of about 15 million people who are on drugs and 3 million of them could be conveniently called drug addicts.

According to him, this development had forced the agency to conclude that the level of drug abuse has led to the high level of violence, kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery and even dangerous driving by some Nigerian drivers.

He said most youths under the age bracket of 19 to 22 and even parents, both male and female, have seriously engaged in taking hard concoction.

Jimoh recalled that NAFDAC had recently destroyed billions of Naira worth of containers loaded with tramadol and other related hard drugs which if it had ordinarily gone into circulation would have destroyed several lives.

He also disclosed that NAFDAC had shifted away from being just a mere regulatory agency of public health institutions, but now a key driver in the present transformation agenda in changing the diversification of the economy.

He said that NAFDAC was controlling the chemicals imported by the petrochemical industries into the country saying the agency has now been laying emphasis on the promotion and development of the Small and Medium Size Enterprise (SMEs).