By Justina Asishana, Minna
The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was across Nigeria with calls at various levels on the need and calls to address the menace which is currently catching up to all both youths and adults. However, in Niger state, Justina Asishana takes cursory look at the Niger State Rehabilitation Center.
Drug abuse among the Nigeria n youth is as old as human existence; the habitual effect derives from unmitigated peer influence, parental negligence and government inability to stem the tide in ages. In 2011, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) world drug report clearly showed Nigeria topped estimated illicit drug use in Africa and this rating seems not to have changed till date, rather it has kept increasing.
Recent research suggests that seven out of 10 youths are involved in one form of drug abuse. The increase in the abuse of drugs have become alarming that even the Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari had to raise an alarm last year as she lamented that the youths especially those in the north are wasting their lives with drug abuse; she then urged political and religious leaders to urgently find solution to the menace.
The 2019 World Drug Report reveals that 271 million people from age 15 to 64 years used drugs in 2017 while 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders. 585,000 people were reported to have died as a result of drug use. Also the statistics showed that 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders while improved research and more precise data from some of the most populous countries show that there are more opioid users and people with drug use disorders than previously estimated.
The increase in drug abuse and its attendant effect on the users have led a lot of youths to be taken to rehabilitation centers or borstal home, some of which are government owned. In Niger state, the waiting list of awaiting ‘clients’ (name given to the patients) and the number of cases treated ftom last year January to date is evidence enough.
The Niger state Social Rehabilitation center, which was originally named Drug Addict Rehabilitation Center was built in 1996 and has so far rehabilitated over 3000 clients, the Secretary of the Center, Mallam Aliyu Ibrahim Gupa told this reporter.
The Secretary explained that the minimum treatment time for each client are usually four months depending on their state adding that The clients are usually brought in by their parents, guardian or friends; most of the cases brought were severe reaction to drug abuse.
“The Clients usually stay for four months depending on how they respond to treatment, after the four months period, we place them on ‘trial leave’ after which they return monthly for re-evaluation until we are satisfied with their progress. However, the issue of drug addiction is not something to be written off like that, while some can stay a year without going back, we have had cases of those who returned and had to be brought back.”
Gupa however added that most of the challenges faced is that some parents and guardians do not bring the clients back for treatment during their trial period and only bring them when they relapse, “after relapsing, we start the treatment all over again, we go back to square one however, we have made a policicy that no client will return here thre times, we have so many people on our waiting lists, so it is best we concentrate on new cases than old ones who do not follow instructions.”
Although The Reporter was not privy to the modes of treatment used for the clients, the Reporter learnt that there are counseling and psychotherapy sessions for the clients; the Reporter also learnt that when the clients are newly brought in, they are placed in an observation rooms where they are closely monitored, given medication and observed until when they start becoming stable; after which they are transferred to the rooms where they can then start the daily routine which includes prayers, personal hygiene, vocational training where they are taught tailoring, leather work and carpentry and indoor gaming activities.
However, it has not been all rosy for the staff as some of the Clients usually have absconding tendency and are very aggressive when they are brought in, “these Clients, they usually think ahead of you. We have experienced situations whereby some of them lock themselves in the bathroom and climb the ceiling and run away. For absconders, we notice that they usually return home, we usually give 72 hours for absconding cases, if they are not brought back within that period, the admission form becomes invalid. Some of them approach you pretending they are well when they are not. We are always alert to these tendencies and we have found ways of curbing them.”
Just like every other rehabilitation center across Nigeria, there is a seeming gap in caring for female addicts, the facility in Niger state is for all male while the female are being treated as outpatients with referrals if the need arises.
According to the Secretary of the Center, the female cases are usually reviewed every two weeks as he added that the Wife to the Niger state Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello is making arrangement for the renovation of the building to include a hostel for the female.
“You know, the structure we are occupying now was meant to be an administrative block and it have been expected that government would build a treatment and rehabilitation hostels but they have not. We had to turn the offices i to rooms that the clients stay in. we have four large rooms which serves as the hostel and two observation rooms. Each equipped with mattresses and bed. The Governor’s wife has made effort to take inventory to remodify the structures so that there can be wards for female clients.”
Asked what they are dong different, Gupa said, “apart from giving them medication, we go down to their level, we do not discriminate them for taking drugs, we allow them to tell us their problems and what they think we can do to help, we engage them and try to make use of their suggestions. Apart from that, we do our best to instill discipline to them.”
Speaking to one of the clients from Kogi state who said he was brought in in May due to his frequent intake of Tramadol, rooshi and Extol because he wanted to feel on top of the world. Kingsley (Not his real name), who got introduced to the substance abuse in 2009, is suppose to be among the first batch of the 2018 NYSC members would had his mobilization extended till later this year because he abused the drugs so bad that he started reacting negatively to it.
“A friend introduced the drugs to me because I could not read for a long time without sleeping and in my school, they do not collect bribe for marks, so if you don’t read, you are on your own. So I took drugs to remain awake and read, apart from that whenever I take it, I forget about my sorrows. I was about to go for mobilization for survive when I started reacting to overdose, I heard sounds and people talking, at times, saliva remove from my mouth without control and I could not sleep. I was first taken to a place in Kaduna but the medication did not work before I was brought here.
“Thanks to the Center, I can sleep very well now and I no longer hear sound. Their treatments and counseling is commendable. I thank God I am alive. Drug abuse is a thing of the past for me, I only hope I go for service in the next batch but my father is saying I must stay here for a year, so I am afraid I may not serve this year. ”
“Sebastian is another client, however, nobody brought Sebastian to the Center, he walked in by himself as he had tried several times to stop taking the drugs but could not, “I abuse substance. I smoke weed and take Extol, I abuse it a lot and when I saw it was affecting me, I tried to stop but could not so I came here myself. I came here to change; I decided to come here because I know they will help me psychologically and otherwise.”
He stated in 2007 while he was in secondary school, he said he was influenced by friends to take weed but started taking Extol on his own because it keeps him awake and makes him read a lot, “I ought to be doing my HND in Civil Engineering but I had to put education on hold because of this issue. Once I am through with my treatment here, I will start my HND admission process.”
Speaking about the center, he said, “I like their methods, they do not maltreat anyone. The staffs are trying, they take a lot of nasty behaviors we dish out to them and work very hard. For others like me, we live like a family here.”
While the Center may be doing great in treatment and rehabilitation of drug users, they are performing badly in promulgating drug prevention programmes and campaigns, although the Secretary to the center claimed that it is on their curriculum, they however, have no funds to carry this feat out. He explained that they accept organizations who seek their expertise for advocacy talks and giving of lectures, “but on our own, we do not have the capacity to go out. It is in our curriculum but it cannot be implemented due to lack of funding.”
