By Kodilinye Obiagwu, Special Correspondent
THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has lamented the absence of a rehabilitation facility for drug dependent females in Enugu State, noting that the situation calls for “an urgent response.”
A Deputy State Commander Drug Demand Reduction, Mr. Ibezim Owunwa, of the Enugu State Command made the disclosure Wednesday when members of the Enugu Chapter of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), visited the agency’s rehabilitation centre to interact with the clients in the facility.
Owunwa noted that although the Command has the best rehab facility in the South East, “it is painful that we have had to turn back female drug users who walk into our offices asking to be rehabilitated.
“The reason for not taking them is because we don’t have space to cater for both male and female. The rehab centre in Abia State has a provision for that.”
He explained further that, appeals to the state government, government officials, relevant stakeholders, politicians and philanthropists to enable us have such a facility have not yielded results.
“At a point in 2025, they came to take measurements of the space but nothing has been done.”
NAS, NDLEA Collaboration
The visit of NAS was in continuation of its campaign on drug abuse, tagged WADA (War Against Drug Abuse), embarked upon by the Enugu chapter in partnership with its sister chapter in New England, USA and in collaboration with NDLEA.
Dr. Okechukwu Ogbodo, who represented the chapter’s leader, Oseloka Egbuchiem, disclosed that the visit was to “cap the association’s enlightenment campaign in the last 8 months on drug abuse. We have been on radio every other week with experts and affected families talking about this.”
“Although this is our first visiting to the rehabilitation facility, at least in the last four years we have charted a wonderful collaboration course with the agency in this fight against drug abuse,” he added.
Ogbodo assured NDLEA of the readiness of NAS in Enugu to participate in any activity on the war against drug abuse.
The Guest Speaker, Dr Vincent Chinoso Ogbuogu, thanked NAS for drawing attention to this menace that “is ruining the lives of young people and causing pains in many families.”
A former drug user, who had spent time in the rehabilitation facility, Ogbuogu told the youths that, “nothing good comes from drug abuse. It takes everything from you. It destroys your finances, career, health, and can eventually kill you.”
He said that while it might take just a day to get hooked, “it takes a lifetime to stay free from drugs.”
Disclosing how he still has nightmares from his experience with drugs, he warned, “don’t go back to drugs when you leave here. If you do, there might be no second chance or redemption for you again.”
A deputy commander, Mr. Joseph Asikehia, who represented the State Commander, Owoputi J. Adenkule, CN, thanked NAS for its enlightenment program on drug abuse.
