Lagos, NDLEA Unite To Tackle Rising Youth Drug Abuse At 2-Day Education Summit
In a bid to strengthen community-level awareness and safeguard Lagos’ large youth population from the dangers of addiction, the Lagos State Interministerial Drug Abuse Control Committee (LSIDACC), in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has organised a two-day education programme and youth summit in Agege to address the rising cases of drug and substance abuse among young people in the state.
The event, themed “Drug/Substance Abuse and You: What Every Young Person Should Know”, brought together students, educators, public health experts, and youth development stakeholders at the Oba Sanni Komolafe Youth Centre, Lagos.
Delivering the keynote address, the Coordinating Director of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Folashade Oludara, noted that drug misuse often begins with taking medications without medical supervision. She stressed that every drug has a defined purpose and potential side effects, warning that self-medication and incorrect dosages frequently serve as a gateway to addiction and long-term health problems.
Represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical Services and Chairman of LSIDACC, Pharm. Olawale Poluyi, Dr. Oludara encouraged students to cultivate healthy relationships and resist negative peer pressure. She commended their engagement at the summit, adding that making informed choices is one of the strongest shields against harmful substances.
In her welcome remarks, Pharm. Poluyi underscored the importance of early intervention in combating drug abuse, noting that Lagos’ dense population and vibrant youth culture present unique challenges. She revealed that recent studies indicate that 13.6% of secondary school students in Lagos have experimented with drugs, while national data shows 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15 to 64 use psychoactive substances.
She identified emotional distress, trauma, boredom, curiosity, and peer influence as common triggers among young people. She expressed optimism that consistent awareness, education, and community participation would yield positive behavioural outcomes when youths are empowered with resilience-building skills and healthier coping mechanisms.
Pharm. Poluyi further highlighted the state’s multipronged strategy, which includes mental health support, skills acquisition programmes, community-driven initiatives, and partnerships with the NDLEA and stakeholders across key sectors. She added that the workshop was designed as an early preventive measure to instill the right values in young people before negative influences become entrenched.
In her goodwill message, the Deputy Commander of Narcotics at the NDLEA, Mrs. Titilope Ogunliyi, echoed Pharm. Poluyi’s message and applauded the Lagos State Government and collaborators for sustaining grassroots advocacy. She described substance abuse as a growing public health threat that affects individuals, families, and entire communities, reaffirming NDLEA’s commitment to leading the national campaign against drug misuse.
Also speaking, the Director of the Lagos State Kick Against Drug Abuse (LASKADA), Mr. Lukmon Kotun, praised LSIDACC and the NDLEA for maintaining statewide sensitisation. He warned students that drug abuse often starts with “just one wrong decision” and urged them to spread the knowledge gained to their peers, siblings, and neighbourhoods.
One of the participants, Deborah Oluwagbemiro of Iju Senior Grammar School, said the summit exposed the dangers of drug misuse and its long-term effects on academic performance, behaviour, and future aspirations. She pledged to return to her school and community as a youth advocate, raising awareness about the risks associated with psychoactive substances and encouraging her peers to make healthier choices.
