By Stanley Nwanosike
The Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), a police advocacy group, says no one should sit on the fence in the war against drug/substance abuse in the country.
“Drug abuse elimination is a collective effort and shared responsibility; hence the call for parents, educators, law enforcement agencies, community leaders, non-governmental bodies and faith-based organizations among others for more action,” National Coordinator of POCACOV, CSP Ebere Amaraizu, said.
Amaraizu spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday on the sidelines of the World Day (Against) Drug Abuse, being commemorated every June 25.
This year’s theme is: “People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention”.
Amaraizu noted that drug/substance abuse and its trafficking remained an ill-wind that blows nobody any good as it accounts for a high rate of motivation of youths into perpetration of crimes and mental health challenges in communities.
According to him, drug/substance abuse creates unsafe environment in our communities; so, community members must therefore not sit on the fence but to rise to the occasion by joining hands to raise awareness against it.
He also called for more vigorous efforts anchored on community-based crime prevention approach aimed at stemming the tide of drug/substance abuse and illicit trafficking in local communities.
He said, “All and sundry must join hands to strengthen resilience, raise more awareness and help to build a strong society against cultism and drug/substance abuse.
“Those living on drugs means that they are in difficulties, we should not stigmatise and discriminate them but to see how they can navigate and return to normalcy and that is through adequate prevention, treatment and counseling measures.”
Amaraizu said that POCACOV is already engaging youths and relevant stakeholders towards ensuring the cutting of conveyor belts and supply chains of drug-related issues by addressing those opportunities and social changes which promote the use of drugs/substances.
The national coordinator also said that POCACOV was using advocacy to provide alternative meaningful pathways, through regular visits and interface at schools and communities.
He said, “We are also using the instrumentality of high performance community sports activities to constantly occupy youths physically and mentally.
“We also have other non-sports (or activity-based programmes) which helps to create more understanding about the dangers and consequences of drug/substance abuse as well as its usage and trafficking.”
NAN recalls that POCACOV is a Nigeria Police Force Community Policing Initiative and Public Relations Tool.
The advocacy initiative is already engaging with stakeholders through the whole societal approaches aimed at dissuading youths from getting involved in drug/substance abuse and not seeing it as an option but that which will destroy their future. (NAN)
