Drug abuse: Imo group, NDLEA, Navy sensitise students

In Imo State, Nigeria, students at Presentation Secondary School in Ogbaku received a vital education on the perils of drug abuse and the importance of career development through a collaborative effort. The Nsokpo Dynamic Association (NDA), in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Navy, organized a sensitization program on Tuesday.

The event coincided with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, celebrated globally on June 26. This year's theme, 'Say Yes to Life. Say No to Drugs – It Kills,' served as the guiding message for community leaders, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, and educators who united to deliver a crucial message to Imo's youth: their present choices shape their future.

Mark Onyejiaka, President of the Nsokpo Dynamic Association, highlighted the severity of the drug crisis affecting Nigerian youth. He praised the partnership between the NDA and NDLEA as a prime example of community-led action. "Drugs do not merely destroy health – they shatter dreams, tear apart families, and steal futures that were meant to shine," Onyejiaka stated, expressing belief in the students' potential.

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Drugs do not merely destroy health – they shatter dreams, tear apart families, and steal futures that were meant to shine. We are here because we believe in the limitless potential of every young person in this hall.

NDLEA officers presented real-life case studies and national data to illustrate the devastating impact of drug abuse and trafficking on young Nigerians. Medical professionals from the Nigerian Navy further elaborated on the short-term and long-term health consequences of substance use on developing minds and bodies. A career talk, titled 'Dreaming Big for the Future: Why the Choices You Make Today Matter,' by Dr. Chika Umunnakwe, inspired students to pursue purpose-driven careers, warning that a single wrong decision, such as drug involvement, could permanently close doors to future opportunities.

The students actively participated, engaging in robust question-and-answer sessions, demonstrating a clear desire for factual information about the risks they face and the futures they can build. Reverend Father Joachim Onyeagam, the Principal of Presentation Secondary School, expressed his gratitude to the NDA and its partners for selecting Ogbaku for this critical national initiative.

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The session inspired students to pursue purpose-driven careers and to understand that a single wrong decision – including involvement in drug use or trafficking – can permanently foreclose opportunities carefully built over years of study and sacrifice.