By Lawi Auwal Yusuf
It is essential to understand that the community’s participation in fighting drug abuse is an effective remedy that helps tremendously in reversing the trends. Fastidious minds would think that it is beyond exaggeration, if not a mere goof, to make the dubious inference that we cannot clinch a victory over this quagmire without the community vigorously joining the crusade. No doubt, the first step to facing this insidious cankerworm bedevilling the country is dependent on the community’s cooperation.
We are at an appalling risk because drug abuse has become a serious societal phenomenon at an all-time high and regrettably remains unchecked. Youths have already been taken over by drugs which is the centre of crimes and other social vices, while some have succumbed to its suicidal trafficking. Consequently, Nigeria continues to disproportionately bear the brunt of detriments caused by this evil, which thwarts all efforts of transforming our youngsters into enterprising folk.
The emerging trends of terrorism, kidnappings, gruesome murders and a myriad of other reprehensible and despicable crimes are particularly damaging as they create social fissures, flay investors and lead to a total collapse of society necessitate coming together to make concerted clamant efforts in order to battle these crime inducing substances.
But, of course, we must take responsibility for our troubles for being obstinate in breaking away from the old way of doing things and not seeking to unite and confront this lingering peril so as to make way for Nigeria’s defining moment.
It is worthwhile to know that the war against drug addiction is not an exclusive responsibility of law enforcement agencies, in particular, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Rather, it’s our collective burden. Each and every one of us must honestly believe that he is a worthy stake in this issue, determining to immerse himself in this national salvation giving his best shot.
Collaborative efforts are vital mechanisms for efficient service delivery to Nigerians. Genuine and active community participation is a necessary measure that will absolutely end the age of this atrocious challenge and is a vital step towards addressing heinous crimes and protecting communities. It will truly catalyse meaningful and systematic change. Thus, producing enigmatic and highly yielding episodes that will deliver on the transformation of Nigeria.
It is difficult to dislodge the significance of collective participation in fighting illicit drugs, which necessitates the public to wade in and intervene to support the law enforcers by providing moral and financial support, as well as intelligence information to forge bridges between the community and lawmen. Participation at every level is essential in obtaining commitment and achieving goals.
The need for communal efforts to augment those of the government is a key to tackling this social upheaval and the most effective tool in overcoming this intractable problem for a better society. This idea is not only framed on the goal of extricating drug abuse but also on assisting security agencies in establishing and maintaining a safer and orderly social environment. And also working on improving the understanding and trust between the cops and residents, hence, giving the residents a better vantage of law enforcement.
Nonetheless, a partnership between law enforcement and residents adds to the deepening of our sense of collective responsibility and civic bond while helping security agencies have more accurate information.
Affluent individuals can also contribute by providing vehicles and other logistics to the overwhelmed NDLEA to ease their activities. Moreover, NGOs must embark on active sensitisation to expose the dangers of doing drugs and also extol the virtues of abstaining from it altogether. Equally important as well is the impulsive commitment of traditional rulers, religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders to checkmate the threats at the grassroots level.
However, parents must always monitor the movement of their wards to protect them against the wrong hands and also keep a watchful eye on them to notice any conspicuous behavioural change.
Furthermore, we must band together and face up to the adversaries who are the centre of this issue and report any fishy movement of individuals in our midst to the security operatives. The notorious peddlers are the major concern as they are the key players that continue to supply these perilous drugs just to realise their apocalyptic fantasy of amassing stupendous wealth by all means and at all costs. This presupposes the imperative to put society’s interests at the core and make speak louder than these egocentrics and the demons who pander to them.
We shouldn’t sit idly by while the storms of egocentrism threaten our existence. We need to bolster efforts to strengthen the existential commitment in order to put up a good fight to break the jinx and weather the storm at this crux, and have success over the malicious forces.
Lawi Auwal Yusuf is the PRO and Chairman Media and Publicity Committee, Youth Against Drug Abuse Foundation (YADAF), Kano, Nigeria.
