Collaboration can help curb drug abuse in schools, says Marwa

Buba Marwa, the chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says the agency will collaborate with Jeje Riders Nigeria, an international touring bikers group, to fight drug abuse among children and youths in the country.

Speaking on Wednesday when he hosted members of the riders group, who paid him a courtesy in Abuja, Marwa commended the group for choosing to assist the agency with a campaign to educate young people on the dangers of substance abuse in schools and the hinterland across the nation. .

The visit was a prelude to the flag off of a nationwide students anti-drug abuse campaign in Yola, Adamawa state capital, which is scheduled for October 12.

The NDLEA chairman said riders are misconstrued internationally to be associated with criminal abuse, drug use, misdemeanours and other social vices, which is not the case with Jeje Riders.

Marwa said the riders group is major contributor to national health and well being of the nation.

“I would like to commend you for your initiatives and for your participation in making this a very successful organisation. It is very important that you are facing the youth. That is where the calamity that is befalling us today lies,” Marwa said.

“The level of drug use among Nigerian youths is touching, primary school, secondary and tertiary institutions and not to talk of those that are out of school. There are millions that are out of school and because of the poverty index, we have a situation where there is no food to eat. They roam around and maybe a colleague will give them a
pill to chew that can kill the hunger and make them happy at the same time and before you know it becomes a problem. So this type of work is very important. The NDLEA cannot alone solve the drug use problem nor the government. The whole of the society, everyone has to contribute his or her own quota.

“We appreciate this work you are doing. We are going to collaborate and keep us informed of all that you do. It is a very important assignment you put yourself to do. It is a national assignment. One in seven Nigerians use drugs and that is very high but with your collaboration, and I’m sure you will put in your best and make a difference.”

Speaking earlier, Ibrahim Tizhe, the president and chairman, board of trustees of Jeje Riders Nigeria, while introducing members of the group to the NDLEA boss, said Jeje Riders was established in 2022 and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and has 24 members who are from different professional backgrounds including the military, the police, medical personnel and business professionals from across the nation with affiliations to bikers group from other countries across the world.

Explaining the purpose of the visit to the NDLEA headquarters, Tijjani St. James, a member of the group, said the group is made up of like-minded individuals and professionals from various backgrounds with a passion to improve the quality of living in the country.

He said Jeje Riders have been to several countries around the world and are involved actively in humanitarian works.

“Our key objectives are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include community development, peace advocacy, and youth development among others,” he said.

“We are embedded in the society we live. We have serving military personnel amongst us, businessmen, captains of industries, professors. We have members across Nigeria and some West African countries. We not only ride, but are involved in community development and charity work.

“Sometimes ago, we donated heart equipment to the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to support their work. We also supported Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital in Kaduna with the same equipment.

“We were the first non-governmental organisation to support Jigawa state with food items to over two hundred households that kept them going for about three weeks before help came to them in the last flood that affected the state.”

St. James said the group has been involved in community development especially in the provision of healthcare and water facilities with a recent project commissioned in Zamfara state.

“Our key focus is on the youths and that is why we are here today. We believe that the youths are our future; they are the leaders of tomorrow. A nation is as good as the quality of the youth it has and that is why we focused our attention on the youth,” he further said.

“Our focus on the youths is in two ways especially students, to focus on learning. In that regards, what we have done in recent time is to provide learning and teaching aid to schools. So, we donated an IT Centre and e-Library to Gombe state government about two years ago. Few months ago, we did same donation to the Jigawa state government. These e-Libraries are meant to conduct research and for students to learn how to use computers.

“We will be in Gulak, Adamawa state next to donate same to the Government Secondary School, Gulak. We believe that these will enable the students not only to learn but to help them provide quality education because the future is IT.

“Apart from focusing the students on effective learning, we also try to take off their minds from negative vices that will hinder them from their academics.

“We have seen what the NDLEA has done in recent time, and it has been massive. However, we thought that aside what the NDLEA is doing, let us support by reaching out to the grassroots, the young ones that are our future.”