The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has called for tougher measures against drug traffickers and greater support for people battling drug dependence, warning that drug abuse poses a serious threat to society.
Abbas said those who profit from the illicit drug trade must face the full weight of the law, while people struggling with addiction should receive appropriate care and rehabilitation.
“We must punish those who profit from drugs. We must also treat those who have become trapped by them. The dealer needs the law. The dependent person needs care,” Abbas said.
He added, “The government is present. The law is active. The public must also participate.”
The Speaker spoke on Saturday at the conclusion of a three-day sensitisation programme on drug abuse and domestic violence in Kaduna.
The programme, organised in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), was part of Abbas’ constituency outreach activities.
According to the Speaker, addressing drug abuse requires a coordinated approach involving families, schools, communities and law enforcement agencies.
He urged parents to monitor sudden changes in their children’s behaviour, while calling on schools to provide counselling services and report early warning signs.
“Parents must watch for sudden changes in conduct. Schools must provide counselling and report warning signs. Pharmacists and medicine vendors must reject the unlawful sale of controlled substances,” he said.
Abbas also called on traditional and religious leaders to speak openly against addiction and domestic abuse, while urging neighbours, market associations and transport unions to report suspicious activities and the movement of illicit drugs.
“Traditional and religious leaders must reject silence around addiction and abuse. Neighbours must report violence. Market and transport unions must report suspicious movement of drugs. Young people must reject pressure and seek help when needed,” he said.
He urged victims of domestic violence to prioritise their safety, seek medical attention, preserve evidence and report incidents to the appropriate authorities.
“Victims should seek safety, obtain medical care, preserve evidence, and report abuse. Communities must protect them, not punish them with blame or shame,” Abbas said.
The Speaker linked drug trafficking to Nigeria’s broader security challenges, particularly banditry and kidnapping in the North-West.
He noted that drug abuse can impair judgment, increase aggression and deepen poverty, but stressed that it should never be used as an excuse for criminal behaviour.
“Drugs can impair judgement, increase aggression, and deepen poverty. But drugs never excuse violence. Every person remains responsible for his or her actions.
“Domestic violence is not discipline or culture. It is abuse. It harms the victim, frightens children, and weakens the community,” he said.
Abbas further warned that drug trafficking provides criminal networks with financial resources and can facilitate the movement of other illicit commodities and criminal elements.
“The damage caused by drugs does not stop at the family door. It spreads into our streets, schools, markets, and security system. Drug trafficking gives criminal networks money. The same hidden routes can carry drugs, illegal weapons, criminal funds, and violent offenders.
“Drugs do not explain every crime, but they are part of Nigeria’s wider security challenge,” he said.
According to him, disrupting drug supply chains should therefore form an important part of efforts to tackle violent crime.
“Every shipment stopped can deny criminals money for weapons and recruitment,” Abbas said, adding that “every person rescued from addiction is one less person exposed to violent groups.”
The Speaker said drug control must be integrated into broader security strategies in the North-West, where communities continue to grapple with banditry and kidnapping.
“Security forces may clear the camps. Communities must help cut the supply lines.
“Enforcement stops the shipment. Education reduces the demand. Treatment restores the individual. Community vigilance protects the neighbourhood,” he said.
