Nigeria leaders urge youth to shun drug abuse and cybercrime

Leaders in Nigeria are calling for increased efforts to combat drug abuse and cybercrime to protect the future of the nation's youth.

At a NASFAT National Counselling Conference, Buba Marwa, Executive Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), urged young people to shun drug abuse, warning that it destroys morality and prevents them from achieving their goals. Marwa emphasized that the Federal Government is intensifying its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) programme, which targets all levels of society, including schools, parents, and communities.

Separately, at the 2026 South-East Peace and Stability Summit, Ikechukwu Nwabueze, Executive Director of the Orlu Progressive Initiative (OPI), identified both drug abuse and cybercrime as critical challenges facing young people. Nwabueze argued that providing youth with purpose, employment, and digital skills is essential to reducing their vulnerability to criminal recruitment and protecting the reputation of the younger generation.