Army commander urges NDLEA to use comic, drama in fight against drug abuse in schools

 The Commander of Onitsha Military Cantonment, Col. Mohammad Bello, has urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to use comic relief booklets

and dramas to propagate dangers of drug abuse in schools reports www.odogwublog.com .

Bello said this on Monday after a one-day workshop for students of Army Day Secondary School, Onitsha on the dangers of drug abuse and negative influences.

The workshop, which was themed: ``Drug Abuse will Destroy Your Future’’, was orgainsed by NDLEA, Anambra Command.

He noted that the comic relief booklets would act as a reminder to students even at home; while with a good acted drama, the memories of the message of the anti-drug abuse drama would linger long among the students.

``Drug abuse is a serious issue, which should not be treated with kid gloves; it is the leading cause of indiscipline, which later metamorphoses to gangsterism and cultism in schools and some vicinity.

``Parents should keep an eagle-eye on their growing young-adults; here in the cantonment I have directed the head of the provost marshals to track-down young-adults who is indiscipline in character whether in our school here or not,’’ he said.

Bello, however, noted that any officer or soldier found taking hard drug was unprofessional; adding that the army would hand-down the full weight of its laws against such a person.

The commander assured that he would work hard to instill discipline and up-grade the infrastructure status of the schools in the cantonment; while thanking Anambra government for renovation work in the schools so far.

Earlier, Mrs Chinwe Thompson, Principal Staff Officer in NDLEA Drug Demand Reduction Department, told the students to abstain from taste of cannabis and other stimulants that would make them behave abnormal.

``Do not follow your friends to sniff anything which you do not understand especially in the dark or hidden places; once you start following them to engage in that, you might never stop the habit in your life time and it would ruin your future.

``And once you detect that your friends are using something and behaving abnormal; it is your duty to secretly tell your principal or a lecturer in your school for action to be take to rescue them before it is too late,’’ Thompson said.

Highlights of the workshop were the display of NDLEA Drug Chart Table, which contains samples of hard drugs, and inauguration of the Students’ Drug Free Club of the school.