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‘Seek help from us’ – NDLEA tells Nigerians battling drug dependence
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Health & Science

‘Seek help from us’ – NDLEA tells Nigerians battling drug dependence

From Vanguard · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Nigeria encourages individuals struggling with drug dependence to use its 24-hour counseling and referral service.
  • The agency offers professional support around the clock and urges families and friends to seek help for those affected by addiction.
  • NDLEA collaborates with faith-based organizations to enhance prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation efforts against drug abuse.

Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is actively encouraging individuals battling drug dependence to seek professional assistance through its dedicated 24-hour counseling and referral service. Shadrach Haruna, the Secretary of NDLEA, emphasized the availability of round-the-clock support, assuring that recovery is attainable with the right interventions.

We also urge families and friends of persons battling addiction to seek help from NDLEA, stressing that recovery was possible with the right support and intervention.

— Shadrach HarunaEncouraging support networks to engage with the NDLEA for individuals struggling with addiction.

Haruna urged families and friends of those struggling with addiction to reach out to the NDLEA, highlighting the agency's commitment to providing timely access to professional help. The agency's helpline, known as the 247-Network (0800-1020-3040), ensures that individuals and families affected by drug dependence can receive immediate responses in various languages, including Pidgin English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and formal English.

Trained social psychologists are available to offer counseling and guide callers to appropriate treatment and rehabilitation centers. Haruna stressed that treatment and rehabilitation are crucial components of the NDLEA's balanced strategy, which also includes enforcement, prevention, and public enlightenment. The agency is employing innovative approaches, such as partnerships with faith-based organizations, to strengthen its efforts in prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

If you know anyone who is suffering from drug use disorder, NDLEA is there to support.

— Shadrach HarunaReiterating the agency's availability to assist those with drug use disorders.

According to Haruna, churches and other religious organizations play a vital role as stakeholders due to their influence within families and communities. These organizations contribute significantly through counseling, moral guidance, and family-focused interventions, serving as a strategic platform to disseminate anti-drug messages effectively. The NDLEA is leveraging this influence to expand its drug abuse prevention campaigns to the grassroots.

We involve and use a lot of innovative responses, and one of those responses is to use faith-based organisations, which of course include churches.

— Shadrach HarunaExplaining the NDLEA's use of innovative strategies, including partnerships with religious institutions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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