The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Kwara State Government have called on religious leaders, parents and communities to strengthen support for efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse across the state.
The appeal was made by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the Kwara State Commander of the NDLEA, Hajia Fatima Popoola, during the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking commemorative programme organised by the Balogun Gambari Wards Development Association (BAGWADA) in Ilorin, the state capital.
Represented by his Senior Adviser and Counsellor, Alhaji Saadu Salahu, the governor urged religious leaders to use their sermons and teachings to educate worshippers on the devastating effects of drug abuse.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to funding and supporting initiatives aimed at protecting young people from substance abuse.
“Hard drugs do not only destroy health; they destroy ambition, education, security and the future of Kwara. Today’s sensitisation is therefore not just an event; it is an intervention to save a generation,” AbdulRazaq said.
He commended BAGWADA for partnering with the NDLEA to organise the awareness programme, noting that drug abuse has far-reaching consequences for families, schools, markets and communities.
The governor added that youth protection and public safety remain key priorities of his administration, which has continued to provide operational support to the NDLEA to strengthen its activities across the state.
Speaking at the event, the Kwara State Commander of the NDLEA, Hajia Fatima Popoola, represented by her deputy, Usman Jibril, urged parents, guardians and communities to support the agency by providing timely information on the activities of drug traffickers.
She said the NDLEA would continue to collaborate with communities while intensifying sensitisation campaigns targeting students, teachers and other critical stakeholders on the dangers of drug abuse.
“The effects of drug abuse are felt across our communities. If the 99 per cent of law-abiding residents stand together against the less than one per cent involved in drug peddling and abuse, the task of eliminating the menace will become much easier,” Jibril said.
Also speaking, the Imam Gambari of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaiman AbdulAzeez, advocated a return to community-based parenting as a strategy for addressing drug abuse among young people.
The Chairperson of the Kwara Drug Control Committee, Alhaja Barakat Olanrewaju, represented by Mr Ade Bodunde, said drug screening had been made compulsory for newly admitted students in tertiary institutions and applicants shortlisted for employment as part of measures to curb substance abuse.
Earlier, the Chairman of BAGWADA, Engr Ayo Awodi, said the event marked the culmination of several days of awareness campaigns across the Gambari, Ibagun and Sango wards, aimed at promoting the message that preventing drug abuse is a shared responsibility.
