The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, retired Brigadier-General Muhammad Buba Marwa, has called for stronger community action to address drug abuse and other threats to the rights and wellbeing of children.
Marwa stated this in Zaria at the launch of the Neem Tree Dialogue, a community-based initiative aimed at protecting child rights.
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He said tackling drug abuse requires a two-pronged approach involving the disruption of drug supply through arrests, seizures and prosecution, as well as preventing drug use and supporting people already affected by substance abuse.
The NDLEA Chairman identified child marriage and drug abuse among challenges confronting communities in Northern Nigeria, noting that some young people resort to drugs as a way of coping with the pressures associated with difficult circumstances.
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Marwa urged traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations, the media and families to strengthen efforts to protect children, particularly by allowing them to participate in decisions concerning their future.
Earlier, the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, assured that the Zazzau Emirate Council would continue to support the Neem Tree Dialogue project and efforts to protect children’s rights across the Emirate.
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The Executive Director, Women and Child Rights Empowerment Foundation, WCREF, Barrister Maryam Buba Abdu, said the project seeks to promote positive parenting, prevent violence against children, end child marriage, discourage drug abuse among young people, and strengthen community and traditional child-protection systems.