Search for Common Ground, with support from its partners Stakeholders Democratic Network (SDN) and Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), convened a Regional Level Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue on drugs Prevention on October 24 in Port Harcourt to dialogue on ways to curb drug abuse in the Niger Delta.
The event brought together representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the health and education sectors, civil society organizations (CSOs), security agencies, and community groups, all united by a common goal to strengthen collaboration in the fight against drug abuse and its link to rising criminality in the region.
The dialogue was funded by the European Union Under the Community Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence In the Niger Delta Project.
Speaking at the event, Caleb Tidi, Policy and Advocacy Specialist with Search for Common Ground, emphasized that the dialogue builds on a series of state-level engagements previously held across the Niger Delta.
“We are now bringing the three states together so that we can have a platform where they collaborate around drug abuse and find ways to work together towards prevention,” he explained.
“From our previous engagements, we identified drug abuse as a key issue fueling criminality and violence in the Niger Delta. Most crimes have an element of drug abuse in them. So if we want to prevent crime and violence, we must deliberately put effort into curbing drug use and peddling.”
Tidi noted that the dialogue aimed to foster cross-state partnerships among relevant agencies and sectors, promoting a holistic and gender-responsive approach to drug prevention and rehabilitation.
Representing the NDLEA, Commander Emmanuel Obumbada, Deputy Zonal Commander, Operations and Training, NDLEA Port Harcourt Zone 14, painted a concerning picture of substance use in the region.
“The prevalence is very high,” he stated. “As we arrest and rehabilitate drug users, more people are going into it. Many still lack useful information about the dangers of drug abuse. NDLEA cannot do it alone, we need everyone involved in reducing demand and creating awareness.”
Commander Obumbada explained that the agency’s Drug Demand Reduction Unit is actively involved in sensitization and education campaigns across communities.
“We go to villages, schools, and communities, often partnering with organizations like Search for Common Ground,” he said.
“We even use local interpreters to ensure the message gets to everyone. But we continue to seek support from all Nigerians to be part of this crusade against drug abuse.”
Obumbada would not trace the menace to the influential political figures in the society but said “political and festive periods tend to see peak drug activities.”
He also called on celebrities and influencers to use their platforms responsibly. “Celebrities are role models. When young people see them using drugs, they tend to emulate them. So we urge them to influence positively,” he said.
“People don’t understand that those who use drugs are not doing it because they enjoy it,” he said. “Their body system has been modified to accommodate drugs. Without it, they feel like they are dying and nobody wants to die. So they make every effort to get these drugs just to survive.”
He urged the public to show empathy rather than stigma towards drug users, emphasizing that addiction should be treated as a health challenge.
“A drug-dependent person suffers just like someone with diabetes, hypertension, or hepatitis. They need our support, not condemnation. When we stigmatize them, we push them further away from recovery,” he added.
Participants at the dialogue echoed the call for collective responsibility, stressing that effective prevention must start early. One key recommendation was for drug education to be integrated into school curriculums and for drug prevention clubs to be established in both primary and secondary schools.
They also agreed that those battling addiction should be treated with compassion rather than condemnation.
“We must show love and support to those struggling with drugs,” one participant said. “Stigmatization only drives them further away from help.”
As the session concluded, it was evident that the dialogue achieved more than just conversation it strengthened a united front among government bodies, civil society, and communities determined to combat the scourge of drug abuse across the Niger Delta.
Search for Common Ground and its partners reaffirmed their commitment to driving sustained advocacy and regional collaboration toward building a safer, drug-free, and peaceful Niger Delta.
