In a major move to tackle the hydra-headed menace of drug abuse and youth vulnerability in Kogi state, the State House of Assembly on Tuesday successfully held a robust public hearing on a bill seeking to establish the Kogi State Bureau of Substance Abuse Control and Rehabilitation of Drug Dependants.
The bill sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Suleiman Abdulrazak (Okene I State Constituency), aims to birth a specialized state agency to spearhead and coordinate the war against illicit substance distribution and consumption across the confluence state.
Defending the spirit of the bill during the well-attended session, Hon. Abdulrazak emphasized that the proposed law is not designed to merely penalize or dump offenders into correctional facilities. Instead, he explained that it adopts a holistic, public health approach firmly rooted in prevention, counseling, and total societal reintegration.
The House Leader raised the alarm over how deeply rooted drug abuse has become among the youths, noting its destructive ripple effects on households, academic institutions, corporate environments, and the overall security architecture of the state.
“Substance abuse has become a major crisis hitting our youths and threatening the peace of Kogi State. This Bureau will not just chase criminals; it will regulate standard rehabilitation centres, drive massive grassroots sensitization, sponsor vital research, and crucially help our youths reclaim their lives and their dignity,” Abdulrazak declared.
The public hearing, which was held at the Assembly Complex, witnessed a massive turnout of critical stakeholders who threw their weight behind the legislative framework.
Among those who presented memoranda and oral submissions were top officials from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), state ministries, healthcare professionals, civil society organizations (CSOs), and vibrant youth groups.
Traditional rulers and religious leaders also turned up in their numbers, pleading for a swift passage of the bill to rescue the moral fabric of communities currently being eroded by cheap over-the-counter drugs and hard substances.
Reacting to the overwhelming support, Hon. Abdulrazak expressed profound appreciation to the stakeholders for their rich inputs, assuring them that the House would meticulously integrate all constructive suggestions into the final draft.
With the public hearing successfully concluded, the bill is now expected to be laid before the floor of the House for its third reading and subsequent passage into law, giving Kogi State a bulletproof framework to combat drug dependency once and for all.
