Drug abuse: Imo group, NDLEA, Navy sensitise students

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The Nsokpo Dynamic Association (NDA) in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigerian Navy on Tuesday sensitised students of Presentation Secondary School, Ogbaku, Owerri, Imo State to dangers of drug abuse, as well as career development.

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According to a statement by the group, the event was organised to coincide with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, observed globally on 26 June each year.

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The 2026 edition with the theme, ‘Say Yes to Life. Say No to Drugs – It Kills,’ brought together community leaders, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, and educators to deliver a unified and urgent message to the young people of Imo State; the choices made today will determine the lives lived tomorrow.

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The President of the Nsokpo Dynamic Association Mr. Mark Onyejiaka, underscored the gravity of the drug crisis facing Nigerian youth and applauded the partnership between the NDA and the NDLEA as a model of community-driven action.

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“Drugs do not merely destroy health – they shatter dreams, tear apart families, and steal futures that were meant to shine. We are here because we believe in the limitless potential of every young person in this hall,” Onyejiaka said.

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The programme featured a presentation by NDLEA officers on the dangers of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, drawing on real-life case studies and current national data to illuminate the devastating consequences facing young Nigerians who fall prey to substance abuse.

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Medical professionals from the Nigerian Navy complemented the session with an in-depth examination of the health consequences of drug use, covering both short-term and long-term effects on the developing mind and body.

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The highlight of the day was the Career Talk delivered by Dr. Chika Umunnakwe, titled, “Dreaming Big for the Future: Why the Choices You Make Today Matter.”

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“The session inspired students to pursue purpose-driven careers and to understand that a single wrong decision – including involvement in drug use or trafficking – can permanently foreclose opportunities carefully built over years of study and sacrifice.

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“Students responded enthusiastically, with robust question-and-answer sessions following both the NDLEA presentation and the career talk. The engagement demonstrated a hunger among young people for honest, factual conversations about the risks they face and the futures they can build,”. The statement added.

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The Principal of Presentation Secondary School, Reverend Father Joachim Onyeagam, expressed gratitude to the NDA and its partners for choosing Ogbaku as a focal point for the critical national effort.

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The association reiterated its commitment to the welfare of the Ogbaku community and announced its intention to scale the programme to additional schools across the Mbaitoli Local Government Area, reinforcing its long-term mission of building a drug-free generation in Imo State.

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“Your future is brilliant. Your potential is limitless. Together, we declare: Yes to Life. No to Drugs,” Onyejiaka stated.

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