Drug addiction becoming a menace at IDP camps – Group

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Maiduguri and some of its stakeholders have decried the increasing rate of drug addiction at the IDP camps during its psychosocial intervention initiative at the IDP camps. President of Reconnect Health Development Initiative, Dr Vincent Udenze and his staff who were part of the team said that most […]

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Maiduguri and some of its stakeholders have decried the increasing rate of drug addiction at the IDP camps during its psychosocial intervention initiative at the IDP camps.
President of Reconnect Health Development Initiative, Dr Vincent Udenze and his staff who were part of the team said that most the IDP camps had drug addiction as a huge problem.
He said: “The fact remains that we have a massive drug problem in Nigeria that seems to be more prevalent in northern Nigeria. My questions are ? Where are the IDPs getting money to fund this habit? Do they have access to ready cash? Are the rumours flying about that prostitution is now rife at the camps, true?  Could prostitution be a source of funds to fund their addiction?
“We know addiction is almost like a compulsion that needs to be satisfied. We know that peer pressure can get people hooked on drugs. With some camps having up to 10,000 IDPS, are we going to end up with a massive number of addicted IDPs being released into society to compound the already existing drug problems?
“What is the government doing about this?  Is the victim support fund supporting initiatives in this direction? Is there a role for NDLEA? What in the Ministry of Health doing?”
A clinical psychologist from ReconnectHDI , Mr Alex Agara, noted that much more has to be done to assist these traumatised persons.
He said ReconnectHDI will work with the international rehab centre, Synapse services in Niger State to run some rehab programs for these IDPs.
He said: “We cannot continue to fold our arms and watch our brothers and sisters in the IDP camps who have suffered from Boko Haram insurgency having psychological trauma from all they have lost now become victims of prostitution, rape and drug addictions.  My fellow Nigerians let us wake up to this reality and do something about this menace.”