“Lagos, Oyo States, epicenters of drug abuse in Nigeria” – Marwa
The densely populated southwestern states of Lagos and Oyo are the epicenters of Nigeria’s drug malaise, according to the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa.
Marwa disclosed this on Wednesday October 6, 2021, while delivering remarks at a public lecture organised by the United Action for Change (UAC) in Lagos.
“Nigeria’s drug statistics should give every one of us sleepless nights,” says Marwa.
He adds that cannabis is the most abused substance.
“No less than 14.3 million Nigerians abuse drugs — Nigerians between the ages of 16 and 64 years. Among them, one in four drug users is female.
“Expectedly, cannabis is the most abused substance by Nigerians. What’s alarming, however, is that a staggering 10.6 million Nigerians abuse the use of cannabis.
“That number makes our country number one in the use of cannabis. Let’s ponder this for a moment; 10.6 million is more than the estimated population of Botswana and Lesotho combined.
Most of the abusers first started at the age of 19, and the highest level of usage is concentrated in youth between 25 and 29.
“The highest abuse of drugs is reported in the southern geopolitical zone, with the southwest recording the highest prevalence with over four million Nigerians engaging in the use of various drugs.
“In this regard, the Lagos-Oyo axis is the epicentre of drug abuse in Nigeria,” he adds.
Marwa ruled Lagos as Military Governor from 1996 to 1999.