Medical professionals and anti-drug authorities have warned that drug abuse among young people in Rivers State has reached an alarming level, with an estimated 233,000 youths currently affected.
The figure, drawn from United Nations 2019 statistics and cited by the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Chidinma Oreh, has raised renewed concern over the growing influence of illicit substances in the Niger Delta.
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Speaking during a Regional Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Drug Abuse Prevention in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Dr. Oreh, represented by Quanta Roland, said the South-South remains one of the regions worst hit by substance abuse, with a prevalence rate of 16.6% among persons aged 15 to 64.
She listed alcohol, marijuana, and heroin as the most commonly abused substances in the region.
Dr. Oreh urged governments and stakeholders to intensify interventions, warning that drug dependency continues to rise across the Niger Delta states.
Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Rivers State, Dr. Diamond Tamunokuro, stressed that tackling drug abuse must begin with reducing demand. He lamented the scarcity of rehabilitation personnel, noting that Nigeria has fewer than 300 psychiatrists for its 200 million population.
He called for subsidized training to boost mental-health manpower.
Also speaking, Deputy Zonal Commander of the NDLEA, Emmanuel Ogbumgbada, admitted that despite ongoing clampdowns, drug abuse remains on an upward trend. He urged stronger collaboration, insisting the NDLEA cannot win the fight alone.
Policy specialist Caleb Tidi of Search for Common Ground, organizers of the event, said curbing drug abuse is critical to reducing crime and insecurity in the region.
