The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said the dangers of drug use are often underestimated among young people, with many unaware of the long-term consequences of their actions.

NDLEA representative for the Kwara Command, Galleys Oyedepo said this at a seminar organised by the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) in Ilorin on Friday.

The seminar was organised in collaboration with NDLEA to sensitise secondary and tertiary school students against indulging in drug abuse.

Oyedepo expressed concern that drug and substance abuse is becoming prevalent among youth on campuses of tertiary institutions.

“Drug abuse is increasingly prevalent among young people, particularly on university campuses, where many students turn to substances in response to academic pressure, social expectations, and emotional challenges,” she said.

According to her, what begins as curiosity, peer influence, or a coping mechanism can quickly develop into dependency, trapping students in cycles of addiction.

Oyedepo identified commonly abused substances to include cannabis, codeine-based syrups, tramadol, and synthetic drugs.

She cited findings from the 2018 National Drug Use and Health Survey, which put Nigeria’s drug use prevalence at 14.4 per cent, nearly three times the global average.

The NDLEA representative noted that recent enforcement data further underscored the severity of the problem.

She further disclosed that more than 60 per cent of over 77,000 drug offenders arrested by the agency in the past five years were youths.

“Some are as young as 15, and most individuals currently undergoing treatment and counselling in NDLEA facilities are also young people.

“The trend is partly attributed to a culture that increasingly normalises drug use among youths, with many perceiving it as harmless or fashionable,” she said.

Oyedepo warned that the consequences of drug abuse include poor academic performance, mental health disorders, broken relationships, and increased exposure to crime and violence.

According to her, youth must understand that drug abuse comes with serious and lasting consequences, and that it is not a solution to stress or academic challenges.

FOMWAN Amirah, Hajia Biliqis Oladimeji, said the programme was organised under the Health Committee of the Association to educate young people on the dangers of drug abuse in the state.

Oladimeji lamented the rise in cases of drug abuse among youth in Kwara, saying the association would not fold its arms and watch the nation’s future destroyed by the menace.

She, therefore, appealed to parents and guardians to monitor their wards so that they do not fall victim to drug abuse.

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

AIDS Healthcare Foundation Nigeria (AHF Nigeria) has called for the promotion of access to safe, clean facilities and free or affordable sanitary products for all who need them.

As part of the activities marking Menstrual Health Day, AHF is to hold a commemorative event at Keffi, Nasarawa state on Monday to also carry out an enlightenment campaign on the importance of reducing stigma around periods.

In a statement in Lokoja over the weekend, Steve Aborisade, Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, stressed the need for critical steps to be taken in protecting overall health and reducing vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

According to the statement, Menstrual Health Day is observed annually on May 28, but due to the national holiday falling on the 28th, we decided to commemorate the event earlier.

This year, AHF Nigeria and her partners in Nasarawa shall converge at the Victory Baptist School, Daddin – Kowa, Keffi and be joined by other students from Flobam British Secondary School, Government Secondary School and Government Junior Secondary School, all in Keffi.

Government partners that will be in attendance include officials from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Women Affairs and the Ministry of Education.

The Nasarawa State Focal Person on Gender Based Violence will also be present, as well as the Association of Positive Youths Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (APYIN), the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) and the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN).

Event shall see a menstrual health expert take participants through the salient issues in menstrual health management, particularly as it concerns access to menstrual health products and the stigma associated with menstruation in our society.

Participating students will also learn the basic steps to keeping healthy and well during their periods, while also making boys allies of menstrual health management.

At the same time, the 150 participants expected at the event shall receive 2 months supplies of sanitary towels each, as well as incentives to aid their menstrual experience.

“Across Africa, too many women and girls still lack access to basic menstrual products and safe facilities, forcing them to miss school, risk their health, or turn to unsafe coping strategies,” said Martin Matabishi, AHF Africa Bureau Chief.

“Menstrual health is not a luxury—it is a fundamental part of public health and HIV/STI prevention. Governments must remove taxes, invest in access, and break the silence around menstruation to protect health, dignity, and opportunity for all.”

“Globally, nearly 2 billion people menstruate, with 500 million experiencing period poverty.

“These challenges can lead to reliance on transactional relationships or relationships with significant age differences, reducing the ability to negotiate safer sex and raising the risk of HIV and other STIs.

“AHF applauds countries that have reduced or eliminated taxes on menstrual products and urges others to follow suit to ensure access for all who need them.” said Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director (CPD).

In many communities, taboos prevent open discussion, limit access to accurate sexual and reproductive health information, and discourage people from seeking care. Addressing menstrual health must go hand in hand with efforts to normalize periods, expand access to essential services—including HIV prevention, testing, and treatment—and ensure that everyone can manage their health safely, with dignity, and without fear or discrimination.

AHF supports young women and girls through its Girls Act empowerment program in Nigeria, AHF currently runs two Girls Act chapters, in Abuja and Makurdi, Benue state and this year, we shall be expanding to two extra states – Akwa Ibom and Nasarawa state.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus has urged Member States to finalise the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing annex, warning that global preparedness for future pandemics remained inadequate without immediate agreement.

‎Speaking at the weekend during closing remarks at the 79th World Health Assembly, Ghebreyesus said, “Without the PABS annex, the world is not truly ready for the next pandemic,” citing Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks.

‎He said the week-long assembly adopted resolutions on diagnostic imaging, emergency care, haemophilia, neglected tropical diseases, precision medicine, radiation, stroke, transplantation and tuberculosis, alongside reforms targeting the global health architecture system.

‎Ghebreyesus thanked Assembly President Dr. Victor Atallah and committee chairs Dr. Timur Sultangaziyev and Ghana’s Health Minister Mintah Akandoh for guiding deliberations covering technical, political and administrative matters throughout the gathering.

‎He said the Assembly demonstrated progress in spite of outbreaks, conflict, uncertainty and limited resources, emphasising that resolutions only mattered when they improved clinics, protected communities, strengthened households, and enabled detection of outbreaks.

Describing the 2025 pandemic agreement as a “monumental achievement,” Ghebreyesus urged Member States to approve increased assessed contributions, saying predictable funding would ensure WHO remained “able, stable and sustainable” during emergencies.

‎Rejecting suggestions of institutional decline, Ghebreyesus declared, “This is not an organisation in crisis,” adding that WHO was instead moving forward confidently, with purpose, and improving its ability to respond worldwide.