Dare Babalola
The First Lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodu has charged stakeholders in the state to prioritise the fight against drug abuse to ensure a safe and secure society.
Abidoun made this call during the meeting of the Ogun state Drug Control Committee (SDCC) which was held at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) hall in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The meeting was chaired by Abiodun who was represented by Dr. Olufunke Oyeneye.
The development was made known in a statement jointly signed by Kemi Ewedairo-Yusuf and Adeyinka Musa-Richard, the IPROs, Ministry of Information & Strategy.
The meeting was attended by health professionals, educators, representatives of ministries, Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society actors, Faith-based organisations and community leaders, who were all members of the committee to free the state from the menace.
At the meeting, the participants unanimously agreed to adopt more strategies in ridding the state of drug abuse.
Abiodun commended the contributions of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the state as well as members of the SDCC, for their determination to stem the tide of drug abuse in the state.
In her charge, the governor’s wife stressed the need to put in more efforts to eradicate drug abuse in the state.
She hammered on the need to develop social advocacy programmes, visit drug rehabilitation centres, and not leave out prayers.
“Team work, which means together everybody achieves more, should be considered so we can rid our state of drug abuse. I urge you to cash in on the use of social media to reach our youths”, the wife of the governor stated.
The State Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, in agreement with the First Lady, called for further and sustained sensitisation against the menace.
The commissioner said, “We must put a strategy in place to increase surveillance of our sports facilities in order to ensure a drug free environment for the benefit of our youth and our dear state.”
In his welcome speech, the State NDLEA Boss, Commander of Narcotics, Tijjani Rabe represented, by his Deputy, Commander of Narcotics, Ekwu Eucheria, stated that “arrest and seizure of illicit substances within the state is a sobering reminder that the challenge remains real and urgent”.
According to him, in 2024, the state command seized 12 tonnes of cannabis sativa, arrested 687 suspects made up of 572 male and 115 female and counselled 406 drug users with 221 convictions secured.
“In 2025, 395 suspects have been arrested, while 186 were counselled with 97 convictions secured. 8 tonnes of cannabis and various quantities of other psychotropic drugs were seized.”
He revealed further that “this statistics align with the National Drug use survey in a nationwide survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), with the support of the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which revealed that the highest abuse of drugs is recorded in the southern geopolitical zones, with the southwest having the highest prevalence. This is worrisome”.
Members of the committee resolved to further collaborate and ensure sustainability in order to rid the state of drug abuse and trafficking.
