Lecturer, Department of Economics and Development Studies, Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State, Mr Anas Kubalu, has urged the Federal Government to tackle the increasing consumption of codeine by youths in Northern Nigeria.
Kubalu, told newsmen in Gombe, that abuse of drugs was destroying the youths and making them unproductive, reliant on the government, and vulnerable to committing crime.
According to Kubalu, codeine is a threat to youths in Northern Nigeria, with over 40 per cent of them involved in drug abuse.
“Codeine is destroying our youths as many now take to drugs without remorse and this is not good for the country.
“Today, the youths have become too lazy not because they were born so; we must address this before it totally destroys the strength of the North, which is the youths.
“These youths, after taking these mood changing substances, end up sleeping and this makes them unproductive, dependent on government and instruments for crime,” Kubalu.
He said: “It is on record that over 40 per cent of youths in Northern Nigeria are abusing drugs of different kinds; in Kano alone, over two million codeine bottles are consumed daily.
“The FG should declare a state of emergency in the North to rescue our youths from drugs; the case needs an urgent intervention.
“Our lives are not safe if we allow the statistics to climb further.
“Agriculture is suffering gradually in the North because the majority of the youths who form the work force are now into drug abuse; also frightening is the fact that females now take codeine too.
“It is the effect of these drugs that are resulting to insurgency, rape, domestic violence, armed robbery, banditry and all the ills we have today.”
The lecturer appealed to the Federal Government to set up rehabilitation centres to help youths who had taken to drugs check the inflow of codeine into the country.