Not less than 10.9 percent of Kaduna residents are involved in drug and substance abuse, the Director General, Kaduna State Bureau for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (KADBUSA), Dr Joseph Maigari, has said.
The Director General told Correspondents on Thursday in Kaduna that a survey conducted recently in 2020 across the country indicated that in the 23 local government areas of Kaduna state, 11 out of 100 residents are engaged in substance abuse. He however noted that the bureau is working with various non governmental organisations and government ministries and parastatals to reduce drug abuse in the state.
According to him, “A recent survey conducted recently shows that 10.9 percent of Kaduna residents have drug abuse problems. We are the only state that conducts surveys across the state to find out the real problem of drug abuse in the state. ”The fight against drug abuse in Nigeria is always to arrest suppliers and bring them to justice. (But) as we’ have all seen, we can’t win the drug abuse battle with guns only.
“We have to win the minds and hearts of our people to eschew use of drugs and substance abuse. This is why Kaduna is the first state in Nigeria with the best drug law,” the DG said.
Maigari said the state is constructing four rehabilitation facilities in Ikara, Chikun, Igabi and Kachia local government areas.
He added that a new plan by the state government under the state mental health plan has been approved by the human capital development council and the plan would address mental health issues in Kaduna.
