Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) has taken up the initiative to tackle the menace of drug and substance abuse in Nigeria.
The association said it is adopting the preventive approach against drug abuse because it is more cost-effective and beneficial than treatment.
The coordinator of NAOWA Apapa Zone, Mrs Adesayo Adesina, stated this when she led hundreds of officers and soldiers‘ wives on a sensitisation walk to create more awareness on the dangers of drug and substance abuse and illicit trafficking and the need for prevention.
Adesina asserted s that investing in prevention programmes can save lives, protect barracks and communities, and build a healthier and more prosperous society.
The association said the awareness walk and seminar was borne out of a desire to combat the scourge of drug abuse with its attendant sad stories that have destroyed individual lives and placed untold burdens and hardships on families, both in the military and non-military alike.
NAOWA stressed the importance of prevention, highlighting the crucial role that early intervention and education play in addressing the issue of drug abuse, as research has shown that individuals who receive early education on the risks and consequences of drug abuse are far less likely to engage in such behaviours later in life.
The association also gathered teenagers, youths, and students across the Apapa environs in an awareness seminar to discuss the “Dangers of Drug and Substance Abuse among Youths.”
Equally, members of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in attendance, educated the participants on the consequences and punishments for offenders under the Law.
Mrs Adesina said the sensitisation walk and seminar, the first of its kind, were in line with the 2024 World Drug Day, themed: “The Evidence is Clear, Invest in Prevention.”
She said, “This is in line with the vision statement of the NAOWA national president, Mrs Mariya Abiodun Lagbaja, which is ‘Sustaining Legacies Through Unwavering Commitment to Unity and Service for the Betterment of Humanity.’
Adesina said Lagbaja‘s vision statement serves as a guiding principle for efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of prevention.
In his lecture, ‚‘ Effect of Substance Use: Awareness and Prevention”, Lt Col Adanu, a military psychologist advised youths to be aware of pastries and drinks laced with cannabis and other substances and to be careful of the companies they keep.
He said, based on information from relations of victims of kidnapping, that drugs and substance abuse have been a catalyst for terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, various violence and conflicts currently troubling the country.
He urged parents and guardians to spend time with their children, monitor them, correct their wrong beliefs and help them with their life choices.
Members of NAOWA 81 Division, the Nigerian Army Soldiers Wives Association (NASWA), Nigerian Navy Officers Wives Association (NOWA), Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), officers and men of the Nigerian Army attended the event.
