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By Derrick Bangura – The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged students of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) School for the Deaf, Kuje Area Council, not to use illicit drugs to achieve their potential.
The Director-General of NOA, Dr. Garba Abari, gave the advice on Thursday at the National Security Sensitisation Campaign Against Drug Addiction, Political Thuggery, Kidnapping, Radicalisation and Violent Extremism in FCT Secondary Schools.
Reports has it that the campaign was organised by NOA in collaboration with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Gender Mobile, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
Abari, who was represented by Mrs Ruth Ogun, the Director of Public Enlightenment and Mass Mobilisation in the NOA, said that the campaign became necessary as all vices had in one way or the other related to drug abuse.
The director-general, who described drug abuse as an enhancer to commit a crime, urged students with disabilities to imbibe Nigeria’s seven National ethics/core values as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended.
According to him, these include discipline, integrity, the dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance, patriotism, and self-reliance.
“This programme is highly imperative due to the pervasive and disturbing nature of drug abuse and multiple vices related to it which has posed a great threat to social cohesion and order in the country.
“It is also aimed at re-awakening the consciousness of students on the need to shun drugs because of the prevalence of drug use among this age group.
“Our campaign is all-inclusive because we are targeting every citizen in Nigeria.
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“So, we are here to let them know that they are part of Nigerians and that their disabilities are not sicknesses and they have the potential to become the best in life,” he said.
Chief Superintendent of Narcotics, NDLEA, Mr Peter Njoku, urged students not to engage in drug abuse, saying that it enhances people to commit crimes, affects all organs of the body and deteriorates human health.
Njoku urged the students to establish War Against Drug Abuse Club in their school, saying that the club would help in educating students on the harmful effects of drug and ways to expose drug addicts.
Also, Sarah Egbo, Policy Lead, Gender Mobile, an NGO, urged students to always report incidents of sexual and gender-based violence to relevant authorities in order to prevent psychological trauma and examination failure.
Egbo stressed the need for children, parents, guardians, teachers and other relevant stakeholders to collectively fight the menace of sexual and gender based violence in the country.
