The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has urged Nigerians battling drug dependence to seek help through its 24-hour counselling and referral service.
The Secretary of NDLEA, Shadrach Haruna, gave the assurance
in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja to
commemorate the 2026 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking.
He said professional support is available round the clock
for persons struggling with drug use disorders.
“We also urge families and friends of persons battling
addiction to seek help from NDLEA, stressing that recovery was possible with
the right support and intervention.
“The agency’s helpline, 0800-1020-3040, also known as the
247-Network, was established to ensure timely access to professional assistance
for individuals and families affected by drug dependence.
“If you know anyone who is suffering from drug use disorder,
NDLEA is there to support.
“Anyone who calls the number will receive an instant
response in whatever language they speak, whether Pidgin English, Hausa,
Yoruba, Igbo or formal English,” he said.
Haruna said that trained social psychologists were available
round the clock to provide counselling and refer callers to appropriate
treatment and rehabilitation centres closest to them.
According to him, treatment and rehabilitation remain
essential pillars of NDLEA’s balanced approach to drug control, alongside
enforcement, prevention and public enlightenment.
Speaking further, Haruna said the agency has adopted
innovative approaches in tackling drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
This, he said, included partnerships with faith-based
organisations to strengthen prevention, treatment and rehabilitation efforts.
According to him, churches and other religious organisations
have become critical stakeholders in the campaign against drug abuse due to
their influence on families and communities.
“We involve and use a lot of innovative responses, and one
of those responses is to use faith-based organisations, which of course include
churches.
Haruna noted that beyond collaborating with the agency by
reporting drug-related activities, faith-based organisations contributed
significantly through counselling, moral teachings and family-focused
interventions.
He described families as the fulcrum of social development,
adding that churches provide a strategic platform for reaching homes and
communities with anti-drug messages.
According to him, NDLEA is leveraging the influence of the
religious organisations to connect with other faith communities and take drug
abuse prevention campaigns to the grassroots.
Haruna said the agency remained committed to supporting
individuals suffering from drug use disorders through counselling, treatment
and rehabilitation services.
Haruna called on Nigerians, religious leaders, families and
community stakeholders to support efforts aimed at reducing drug demand and
helping individuals recover from addiction.
He reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to expanding access to
treatment and recovery services while strengthening collaboration with
faith-based organisations and other partners in the fight against drug abuse
and illicit trafficking. (NAN)
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com