The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), has urged Nigerian youths to embrace skills acquisition and empowerment programmes as a way to prevent drug abuse and other social vices.
Marwa made the call on Thursday, February 5, in Abuja while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the launch of a youth empowerment and skills acquisition programme.
He said access to practical skills and empowerment opportunities would help protect young people from substance abuse, unemployment, and crime, noting that such initiatives align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration on youth empowerment, job creation, and social inclusion.
According to Marwa, training and empowering 10,000 young Nigerians through practical skills development directly supports government efforts to reduce unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, and crime.
He described the initiative as capacity building and character development, stressing that prevention remains the most effective approach to addressing drug abuse.
Marwa called on non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, faith-based organisations, community leaders, and the private sector to support youth-focused empowerment programmes, noting that government alone cannot tackle the challenge of drug abuse.
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“To the young people here today, I want to say this clearly: you are not a problem to be managed; you are a solution to be empowered.
“Your talents, creativity, and resilience are needed to build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Nigeria. Embrace opportunities such as this, stay away from drugs, and invest in yourselves and the country,” he said.
Authorities say rising youth unemployment and drug abuse continue to fuel crime and social instability in Nigeria.
In response, the NDLEA and other stakeholders have increasingly promoted skills acquisition and empowerment programmes as preventive measures to steer young people away from substance abuse and related social vices.