The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have called on students to stay clear of drug abuse and trafficking, saying they are meant for exploitation.
The agencies posited that there exist a correlation between drug abuse and human trafficking, adding that they are crime for which offenders can be arrested and taken to jail.
Speaking at a symposium in Lagos, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator of NAPTIP Mrs Comfort Agboko hinted that investigation has revealed that human trafficking are also used to traffic of drugs.
At the event organized by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) for Secondary School Students in commemoration of the 2023 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, themed ” People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strength Prevention”, organized by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), held at Anwal-ul- Islam Model College, Agege, Agboko explained that victims of human trafficking are being used by traffickers to traffic drugs.
She hinted that illicit drugs are also been used for sex exploitation to give the girls the strength to be able to have sexual intercourse with about 10 to 30 men in a day without feeling the pain, while their recruiters get paid.
Informing that NAPTIP does not joke with enlightenment, education of drug abuse, trafficking and human trafficking, Agboko therefore urged the students to shun drug abuse, warning that it is dangerous to their health.
Her words, ” We are because we don’t joke with enlightenment, education of drugs abuse trafficking and human trafficking. Why we are here this morning is to let you know the relationship between drug abuse, drugs trafficking and human trafficking. We discovered that human trafficking are also used to traffic drugs. Human trafficking is system of trafficking person from one place to the other, with the use of deceit, cohesion, for the purpose of exploitation and this exploitation could be child labour, sexual exploitation.
” What we are telling you is that victims of human trafficking are being used by traffickers to traffic drugs, they also being used for sex exploitation and it gives them the strength to be able to have sexual intercourse with about 10 to 30 men in a day without feeling the pain. Victims of human trafficking that are forced to take may eventually loose their lives. Therefore, children stay away from drugs abuse and substance use, it kills and lost your dreams to come to reality”.
Agboko noted that students get engaged in taking of drugs due to peer pressure, superiority, desire to navigate, efforts to get revived from depression after failure, anxiety and anxious for success.
On the consequences, the NAPTIP top official asserted that drug addicted victims would be denied good food, good health, good life denial from success, amongst others, adding it will lead them to a miserable life and ends in death.
On how to counter involvement, Agboko advised the students to avoid bad friends, report any advances to their parents and prepare their minds on how to resist peer pressure.
Speaking on the menace of drug abuse, the NDLEA Lagos State Commander, who was represented by Fatimah Dauda, a Superintendent, stressed that drugs abuse takes one backwards, destroys and destroys the future.
According to her, it also caused AIDs and makes your family members run away from you because victim will be involved in all sorts of social vices.
” If you are into drugs use, your family members will run away from you because you be involved in all sorts of social vices. Drug will be controlling you, you will not be able to do things on your own and you will be controlled by the influence of drugs”, Dauda emphasised.
Speaking further Dauda pointed out that there
are several consequences of drugs, which she identified as physical, social and psychological.
“:Those that have physical consequences are the drugs causing parmanent damage to our internal organ. it causes damage to our body systems, a damage that can not be repaired. examples: damage to the brain, kidney, Heart lungs and so on. That’s why we are asked you not to take it. Illicit drug is a drug that can take you for away from your dreams because the person that suffering from lever or kidney problems can not be able to go to school again. it causes high blood pressure, vervous breakdown blocked blood supply”.
Dauda hinted that the theme for the 2023 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is “::Stop Stigma, Discrimination giving hope to drug addict person.
According to her, the United Nations Office Of Drugs and Crime said that the drug addict should be rehabilitated, they have right to life. Don’t condemned them, no more stigma, no descrimination, they also have right to life.