By Abubakar Yunusa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); Aisha Babangida, the eldest child of former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and the National Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society (AISN), Sheikh Fuad Adeyemi, have tasks parents to act on the rising cases of drug abuse, especially among the youths in the country.
They made the call on Saturday in Abuja at the 11th annual Al-Habibiyyah Women’s Forum.
They and other guests at the event blamed the parents for the rising scourge, saying more than half of the cases of drug abuse were the fault of parents.
Aisha Babangida, who is the chairperson of the Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman, said that parents’ failure to instill Islamic values on their children was one of the major contributions to drug abuse.
“Charity begins at home. We just heard of a case of mothers finding comfort for themselves by taking a cough syrup and introduce same to their children so they don’t disturb them. We have to engage in more education,” she said.
Also, Hajiya Fatima Abiola-Popoola, who represented the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa, said that parenting style and strategy largely contributed to rising drug scourge.
She noted that the children of nowadays were on the ‘fast lane’ and urged parents to double their efforts.
Sheikh Adeyemi on his part said that the organisation held a youth programme in August where children shared their experiences and the role played by their parents, hence the women programme used as an opportunity to engage the parents.
The Executive Director, Sustainable Gender Action Initiative (SGAI), Abuja, Hajiya Mufuliat Fijabi, said parents should look beyond the popular drugs and other substances being abused as there are many less known and potent substances being abused by children due to peer pressure and bad influences.