‘14 million Nigerians exposed to drugs’

Substance abuse poses a significant threat to Nigeria's future, with an estimated 14.4 million citizens exposed to drug use. This alarming figure, revealed at the 40th Anniversary Lecture of Fountain of Hope Society, indicates that nearly 45% of young people and students have experimented with drugs, placing Nigeria's prevalence rate at approximately three times the global average.

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The future of our youths is being ravaged.

Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist Dr. Olajumoke Koyejo highlighted curiosity, peer pressure, emotional distress, and poor coping mechanisms as primary factors driving this trend. The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, reports that between 40% and 60% of its admitted patients are treated for drug-related conditions, underscoring the severity of the crisis.

Experts, including Consultant Psychiatrist Professor Olurotimi Coker, identified peer influence, family instability, stress, and the easy availability of drugs as major contributors. The consequences are dire, potentially leading to educational failure, mental health disorders, suicide attempts, and organ damage.

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The church must address the root causes of addiction by providing safe spaces for vulnerable youths, offering pastoral counselling and partnering with treatment facilities to support recovery.

In response, stakeholders are calling for a multi-pronged approach. This includes stronger anti-drug enforcement, comprehensive drug education in schools, widespread public awareness campaigns, and enhanced involvement from faith-based organizations. Churches are specifically urged to provide safe, non-judgmental spaces for those struggling with addiction, offering pastoral counseling and facilitating referrals to appropriate treatment facilities.

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The church should be known as a place where people can seek help without fear of condemnation. We must embrace, guide and support our young people through life’s challenges.